ARTHUR      W. 

MAI^CHMONT 


S5*$ 


Stratford  &  Green 
640  S.  Main  Street, 
Los  Angeles,  Cal. 


Sarita,    the    Carlist 


A  WILD  PASSION  OF  EXCITEMENT,  UPROAR,  AND  TT'MULT 
POSSESSED  THE  VAST  AUDIENCE." Page  2 1 6, 


Sarita 
The    Carlist 

By  ARTHUR    W.    MARCHMONT 


Author  of  "By  Wit  of  Woman,"   "By  Right  of 

Sword,"  "When  I  Was  Czar,"  "A  Dash 

For  a  Throne,"  etc.,  etc. 


A.  L.  BURT  COMPANY  Publishers 
#  #  *  #   NEW  YORK   *  *  *  * 


Copyright  1902 
By  FREDERICK  A.  STOKES  COMPANY 


SAKITA  THE  CARLIST 


CONTENTS. 


I.  THE  VICTIM  OF  A  WOMAN'S  PREFERENCE 

II.  THE  GATE  OF  HAZARD, 

III.  CARLISTS, 

IV.  SARITA  CASTELAR,          .... 
V.  THE  EXPLANATION,        .... 

VI.  "  COUNTING  ALL  RENEGADES  LOVERS 

OF  SATAN,"          ..... 

VII.  SARITA,  THE  CARLIST,  .... 

VIII.  SEBASTIAN  QUESADA,    .        .        .        . 

IX.  THE  QUESADA  VERSION, 

X.     IN  LONDON, 

XI.  "  THE  WAYS  OF  THE  CARLISTS  WILL  BE 

HARD," 

XII.  SARITA'S  WELCOME,        .        .        .        . 

XIII.  THE  FIGHT, 

XIV.  A  COWARD'S  STORY,       . 

XV.     THE  ABDUCTION, 

XVI.  AFTER  THE  RESCUE,       . 

XVII.  WAR  TO  THE  KNIFE,       . 

XVIII.  AT  THE  OPERA  HOUSE, 

XIX.  A  CARLIST  GATHERING, 

XX.  AT  THE  HOTEL  DE  L'OPERA, 


PAGE. 

I 

13 

23 

35 
49 

63 

75 
89 

99 

112 


161 

175 
I87 
199 
2IO 
221 
233 


2136973   ' 


VI 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER. 

XXI.  SARITA'S  FLIGHT,  .        .        , 

XXII.  AN  UNEXPECTED  MEETING, 

XXIII.  NEWS  OF  SARITA,    . 

XXIV.  A  CHECK, 
XXV.  AT  CALVARRO'S, 

XXVI.  THE  PLEA  OF  LOVE, 

XXVII.  SARITA  HEARS  THE  TRUTH, 

XXVIII.  How  LUCK  CAN  CHANGE, 

XXIX.  QUESADA  AGAIN,    . 

XXX.  SUSPENSE, 

XXXI.  AT  THE  PALACE,     . 

XXXII.  LIVENZA'S  REVENGE, 

XXXIII.  THE  HUT  ON  THE  HILLSIDE, 

XXXIV.  A  KING'S  RIDDLE, 


PAGE. 
246 

257 
272 
284 
297 
308 

319 
S32 

345 
357 
37° 
383 
397 
414 


SARITA, 
THE    CARLIST 

CHAPTER  I 

THE    VICTIM    OF    A    WOMAN'S   PREFERENCE 

IF  A  won't  marry  B,  ought  C  to  be  exiled  ? 
Stated  in  that  bald  fashion  the  problem  looks 
not  unlike   an  equation  that  has  lost  caste   and 
been  relegated  to  a  nonsense  book,  or  lower  still,  to 
some  third-rate  conundrum  column.     And  yet  it  was 
the  real  crux  of  a  real  situation,  and  meant  everything 
to  me,  Ferdinand  Carbonnell,  the  victim  of  a  woman's 
preference. 

It  came  about  in  this  way.  The  Glisfoyle  peerage, 
as  everyone  knows,  is  only  a  poor  one,  and  originality 
not  being  a  strong  point  with  us,  Lascelles,  my  elder 
and  only  brother,  having  taken  counsel  with  my  father, 
fell  back  upon  the  somewhat  worn  device  of  looking 
out  for  a  wife  with  money.  He  was  not  very  success- 
ful in  the  quest,  but  at  length  a  desirable  quarry  was 
marked  down  in  the  person  of  a  Mrs.  Abner  B.  Cur- 
wen,  the  young  widow  of  an  American  millionaire  ; 
and  great  preparations  were  made  to  lure  her  into  the 
net  that  was  spread  in  the  most  open  and  unabashed 
manner  before  her  very  eyes. 

But  those  eyes — bright,  merry,  and  laughing — had  a 


2    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

brain  behind  them  that  was  practical  and  penetrating, 
and  she  saw  the  meshes  quite  plainly.  She  accepted 
the  hospitality  with  pleasure,  did  her  best  to  make  a 
friend  of  my  only  sister,  Mercy,  was  properly  subdued, 
if  not  awed,  in  the  presence  of  my  father,  and,  in  fact, 
did  everything  expected  of  her  except  the  one  thing — 
she  would  not  let  Lascelles  make  love  to  her,  and  com- 
pletely out-manoeuvred  him  whenever  he  tried  to  bring 
matters  to  a  head. 

Moreover,  a  crisis  of  another  kind  was  in  the  brew- 
ing. Mrs.  Curwen  herself  was  not  an  American,  but  a 
north-country  Englishwoman,  who  had  used  her  pretty 
looks  and  sharp  wits  to  captivate  the  rich  American, 
and  she  took  Mercy  into  her  confidence  one  day  to  an 
extent  that  had  results. 

"  I  am  very  fond  of  you,  Mercy  dear,  and  would  give 
much  to  have  you  as  my  sister  ;  but  your  brother, 
Lascelles,  is  too  formal,  too  stiff  in  the  backbone,  for 
me.  I  have  made  one  marriage  for  a  reason  that 
wasn't  love :  but  I  married  an  old  man  ;  and  when  I 
marry  again  it  won't  be  for  either  position  or  money. 
I  should  dearly  love  to  have  you  for  my  sister,  as  I  say, 
but  I  could  not  marry  your  brother  Lascelles.  Ferdi- 
nand is  just  awfully  nice — but  I  suppose  he's  a  dread- 
ful scapegrace." 

I  think  Mercy  laughed  hugely  at  this — her  merry 
heart  laughs  at  most  things — and  certainly,  when  she 
told  me — as  being  my  best  particular  chum  she  was 
bound  to  do  immediately — we  laughed  heartily  over  it 
together. 

"  She's  a  bright,  jolly,  little  soul  and  beastly  rich,  but 
I'm  not  having  any,"  said  I,  shaking  my  head.  "  I 
don't  want  to  cut  out  poor  old  Cello  " — this  was  an  un- 


A  WOMAN'S   PREFERENCE    3 

righteous  nickname  of  ours  for  Lascelles,  with  a  covert 
reference  to  his  deep,  solemn,  twangy  voice.  "  But 
you'd  better  tell  the  father." 

"  You  might  do  worse,  Nand,"  declared  my  sister. 
"  Her  wealth  would  give  you  just  the  chance  you  want ; 
and  it  would  be  awfully  jolly  to  have  a  rich  brother, 
and  she's  a  good  sort  ;  and  you  could  settle  down 
and " 

"  Don't  be  a  little  humbug,  Mercy.  She's  all  right, 
I  daresay  ;  but  I'm  not  made  that  way.  If  I  were 
going  to  succeed  the  father  I  might  think  about  selling 
myself  for  a  good  round  sum  ;  but  no,  thank  you,  I'm 
not  in  the  market.  You'd  better  let  Cello  and  the 
father  know  that  this  little  net  of  theirs  has  got 
fouled  ;  "  and  with  that  I  dismissed  the  matter,  and 
with  no  thought  of  trouble  went  off  on  a  fortnight's 
visit  to  an  old  Oxford  friend. 

When  I  got  back  to  town,  however,  matters  had 
moved  fast,  and  plans  were  cut  and  dried.  Lascelles 
had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  if  I  were  out  of  the 
way  his  suit  would  prosper,  and  he  had  grown  to  like 
the  little  widow  as  much  as  a  person  of  his  importance 
could  care  for  anyone  who  did  not  wear  his  clothes. 
My  father  and  he  had,  therefore,  set  to  work  with  a 
burst  of  Irish  zeal,  and  had  succeeded  in  getting  me 
made  a  kind  of  probationary  attache  at  the  Madrid 
Embassy  ;  and  expected  me  to  be  mightily  pleased  at 
the  result  of  their  innocent  efforts  on  my  behalf. 
My  father  told  me  the.  good  news  on  my  arrival,  and 
the  next  morning  there  came  the  official  confirmation. 

My  father  was  in  quite  cheerful  spirits. 

"  Your  foot  is  on  the  ladder,  Ferdinand,"  he  said, 
gleefully.  He  was  very  partial  to  this  metaphor.. 


4   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

Life  to  him  was  a  maze  of  ladders,  leading  up  and 
down  and  in  all  directions,  of  which,  by  the  way,  he 
had  made  very  indifferent  use.  "  You  may  climb  where 
you  will  now,  my  boy.  You've  a  steady  head  at 
times." 

"I  trust  I  shall  not  be  dizzied  by  the  giddy  height 
of  this  position,  sir,"  I  answered,  not  wholly  without 
guile,  for  I  was  not  enamoured  of  this  prospective 
expatriation  in  the  cause  of  fraternity. 

"  I  don't  think  it's  a  subject  for  feeble  satire," 
exclaimed  Lascelles,  sourly.  "You've  not  made  such  a 
brilliant  success  of  things  on  your  own  account  and 
during  your  years  of  vagrancy.  I  trust  you'll  remem- 
ber who  you  are  now,  and  endeavour  to  do  the  family 
credit,  and  seek  to  climb  the  ladder  which  our  father 
rightly  says  is  open  to  you." 

"  I  hope  you  won't  marry  a  wretched  Spanish 
woman  to  carry  up  with  you,"  said  Mercy,  a  little 
pungently.  She  resented  my  exile  more  than  I  did. 

"  Such  a  remark  is  scarcely  called  for,  Mercy,"  said 
Lascelles,  always  glad  to  pose  as  the  much  elder 
brother,  and  objecting  to  any  reference  to  the  subject 
of  marriage  at  such  a  moment.  But  Mercy  was  as 
resentful  as  a  nettle  when  handled  tactlessly. 

"You  mean  we  ought  to  taboo  the  subject  of 
marriage  just  at  present.  Very  well,  dear,"  she  said, 
demurely  and  humbly.  My  brother  frowned  and 
fidgetted  on  his  chair,  while  I  shut  down  a  smile. 

"  Madrid  has  a  questionable  climate,  but  I  believe  it 
is  excellent  for  young  strong  men,"  said  my  father, 
obviously  glad  that  he  had  not  to  go.  "  It  is  fortunate 
you  have  such  a  knowledge  of  Spanish,  Ferdinand. 
Jt  was  that  which  turned  the  scale  in  your  favour. 


A   WOMAN'S    PREFERENCE    5 

Sir  John  Cullingworth  told  me  so.  It's  what  I've 
always  said  ;  all  boys  should  know  a  language  or  two. 
Always  lifts  a  man  a  rung  or  two  above  the  crowd 
when  the  moment  comes.  A  most  valuable  mental 
equipment." 

A  perfect  knowledge  of  Spanish,  the  result  of 
years  of  my  boyhood  and  youth  spent  in  Spain,  was 
the  one  ewe  lamb  of  my  accomplishments  ;  that,  and 
a  bad  pass  degree  at  Oxford  constituted  the  "valuable 
mental  equipment  "  of  my  father's  imagination, 

"It  has  come  in  handy  this  time,  sir,"  I  assented. 

"  I  hope  you  use  less  slang  in  Spanish  than  in 
English,"  said  Lascelles,  posing  again. 

"  I'm  afraid  the  prospect  of  our  parting  has  got  on 
your  nerves,  Cello." 

"  I  wish  you  wouldn't  be  so  disgustingly  vulgar  and 
personal  as  to  use  that  ridiculous  nickname  for  me," 
he  retorted,  angrily. 

"  I  wish  to  see  you  in  the  study,  Ferdinand,  in  about 
a  quarter  of  an  hour.  I  have  something  very  impor- 
tant to  say  to  you,"  interposed  my  father,  rising  to 
leave  the  room,  as  he  generally  did  when  my  brother 
and  I  looked  like  having  words. 

"  Very  well,  sir.     I'll  come  to  you." 

"  Do  you  know  the  news,  Nand  ? "  cried  Mercy,  as 
soon  as  the  door  closed  behind  him,  and  the  look  of  her 
eye  was  full  of  mischief. 

"  No.  I've  only  read  a  couple  of  newspapers  this 
morning,"  I  answered,  flippantly. 

"I  don't  mean  news  of  the  stupid  newspaper  sort;  I 
mean  real,  private,  important  news.  This  will  be  in  the 
fashionable  gossip  next  week  :  but  it  isn't  public 
yet." 


6    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"  No — and  I'm  afraid  I'm  not  very  interested  in  it, 
either.  Next  week  I  shall  be  in  Madrid." 

"  Ah,  but  this  is  about  Madrid,  too,"  she  cried,  look- 
ing mysterious. 

"What  do  you  mean,  Mercy?"  asked  Lascelles,  who 
was  of  a  very  curious  turn,  and  not  quick.  "  What  news 
is  it  ?  " 

"  It's  about  Mrs.  Curwen,  Lascelles.  She  is  going  to 
stay  in  Madrid  ;  "  and  Mercy  pointed  the  little  shaft 
with  a  barbed  glance  that  made  him  colour  with  vexa- 
tion. 

"  Upon  my  word,  Mercy,  you  ought  to  know  better. 
You  are  abominably  rude,  and  your  manners  are  unpar- 
donable," he  cried,  angrily.  "  I  declare  I  won't  allow 
it." 

"  Allow  it  ?  Why,  she  didn't  tell  me  she  had  to  ask 
your  permission.  But,  of  course,  I'll  tell  her  she  mustn't 
go,"  returned  Mercy,  with  such  a  fine  assumption  of 
innocent  misunderstanding  that  I  could  not  restrain 
my  laughter. 

"  It  will  be  a  good  thing  when  you  are  gone,  Ferdi- 
nand," he  turned  on  me,  wrathfully.  "  You  only  encour- 
age Mercy  in  these  acts  of  rudeness." 

"  Don't  be  a  prig,  Cello,"  said  I,  good  humouredly. 
"  You  are  a  good  chap  at  bottom,  and  when  you  don't 
stick  those  airs  on." 

"  I  shall  not  stay  here  to  be  insulted,"  he  exclaimed, 
and  he  retreated,  leaving  us  in  possession  of  the  field. 

"  That  was  too  bad,  Mercy.  You  hit  him  below  the 
belt,"  I  said,  when  he  had  gone. 

"But  he's  just  insufferable  in  those  moods,  and  he 
gets  worse  and  worse  every  week.  And  it's  horrid  of 
him  to  drive  you  away  like  this.  Positively  horrid.1' 


A   WOMAN'S   PREFERENCE    7 

"  It's  all  right,  girlie.  I'm  not  the  first  man  by  a 
good  many  who  has  left  his  country  for  his  family's 
good,  even  to  climb  the  diplomatic  ladder.  And  when 
I've  got  up  a  few  rungs,  as  the  father  calls  them,  and 
can  afford  to  have  an  establishment,  you  shall  come 
and  boss  it,  and  we'll  have  a  high  old  time." 

"  Yes,  but  that's  just  it,  Nand." 

"  What's  just  it  ?  " 

"  Why,  of  course,  you're  just  the  dearest  brother  in 
the  world  and  awfully  good  at  Spanish  and  all  that,  but 
I  don't  believe  you'll  be  a  bit  of  good  as  a  diplomatist  ; 
and  you'll  never  get  on  enough  to  have  any  place  for 
me  to  boss." 

"  What  a  flatterer  you  are  !  For  telling  the  beastly, 
barefaced,  ugly  truth,  commend  me  to  sisters,"  and  I 
laughed.  "But  I  believe  you're  right;  and  I  shall 
probably  never  earn  bread  and  cheese  rind  as  a  tactician. 
But  I'll  have  a  good  time  all  the  same." 

"  Oh,  isn't  that  like  a  man  !  For  sheer  Christian  un- 
selfishness, commend  me  to — brothers." 

"  A  fair  hit,  and  a  bull's-eye,  too.  But  we've  always 
been  good  chums,  you  and  I,  and  what's  the  good  of 
chums  if  they  can't  slang  each  other  ?  That's  the  test 
of  chumminess,  say  I.  I  wish  Cello  was  a  bit  of  a 
chum  for  you." 

"  Poor  Cello,"  and  Mercy  smiled  at  the  notion.  "  But 
I  think  the  whole  thing's  just  horrid,"  she  added  ;  and 
for  all  her  smiles  she  was  not  far  off  tears.  That  seems 
to  be  the  way  with  girls  of  her  sort;  so  I  made  some 
silly  joke  and  laughed,  and  then  kissed  her  and  went  off 
to  the  study. 

There  was  never  anything  jocular  about  my  father  ; 
and  now  I  found  him  preternaturally  grave  and  serious. 


8    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

He  thought  it  necessary  to  improve  the  occasion  with 
a  very  solemn  lecture  about  the  start  of  my  career,  and 
gave  me  heaps  of  good  advice,  mentioned  the  moderate 
allowance  he  could  make  me — small  enough  for  me  to 
remember  without  any  difficulty — and  then  came  to  the 
pith  of  what  was  in  his  thoughts. 

"  I  think  it  necessary  to  tell  you,  now,  Ferdinand,  a 
rather  painful  chapter  of  our  family  history.  You 
know  most  good  families  have  these  things  ;  and  as  it 
concerns  some  relatives  of  ours  in  Madrid,  and  as  you 
can  act  for  me  out  there,  it's  altogether  fortunate  you 
are  going." 

"  Relatives  in  Madrid,  sir  !  "  I  exclaimed,  in  consider- 
able astonishment. 

"  I  said  Madrid,  Ferdinand  ;  and  really  you  cannot 
learn  too  soon  that  concealment  of  surprise — and 
indeed  of  any  kind  of  feeling — is  one  of  the  essentials 
for  diplomatic  success."  He  said  this  in  his  most 
didactic  manner,  and  I  assumed  a  properly  stolid 
expression,  resolved  to  make  no  further  sign  of  surprise 
let  the  story  be  what  it  might. 

"You  needn't  look  like  a  block  of  wood,"  was  his 
next  comment ;  and  I  guessed  that  he  was  in  doubt  how 
to  put  the  matter,  and  therefore  vented  the  irritation 
on  me.  "  The  fact  is,"  he  continued,  after  a  pause, 
"  that  you  had  another  uncle  beside  the  late  peer  ;  j  unior 
to  both  Charles  and  myself.  He  lived  a  very  wild, 
adventurous  life — that's  where  you  get  your  love  of 
wandering — and  he  had  a  very  stormy  time  in  Spain. 
He's  been  dead  many  years  now,  poor  fellow,  and  the 
circumstances  are  all  strange  and,  I  suppose  I  must  say, 
romantic."  He  said  this  regretfully,  as  though  ro- 
mance had  a  taint  of  vulgarity  unworthy  of  the  peerage. 


A   WOMAN'S    PREFERENCE     9 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  Well,  it  was  the  result  largely  of  a  most  extraor- 
dinary marriage  he  made.  He  was  in  Spain  under  an 
assumed  name — the  truth  is  he  had  made  such  a  mess 
of  things  here  that  the  family  disowned  him,  and  hav- 
ing, as  you  have,  a  splendid  knowledge  of  Spanish,  he 
took  a  Spanish  name — Ramon  Castelar.  His  own  name 
was  Raymond.  The  girl  was  of  the  powerful  family  of 
the  Quesadas  ;  but  knowing  him  only  as  an  adventurer 
and  being  quite  ignorant  of  his  high  birth,  they  turned 
their  backs  on  him  and  wouldn't  hear  of  a  marriage. 
Raymond  was  a  daredevil  in  his  way,  however,  and  the 
thing  ended  in  a  runaway  match.  A  most  unfortunate  • 
matter." 

My  father  spoke  of  it  as  a  quite  deplorable  thing, 
but  I  admired  my  uncle  as  about  the  pluckiest  Car- 
bonnell  I  had  yet  heard  of.  We  all  have  our  own  points 
of  view,  however. 

"  The  end  was  a  perfect  tragedy,  Ferdinand,  an 
awful  affair.  The  Quesadas  tried  by  every  means  to 
get  your  uncle's  wife  away  from  him  and  in  the  end 
succeeded.  He  was  in  England  at  the  time,  and  when 
he  got  back  to  Madrid,  he  found  his  wife  shut  up  as  a 
lunatic,  his  two  children — a  boy,  Ramon,  and  a  girl, 
Sarita,  named  after  her  mother — gone  and  himself  pro- 
scribed. These  big  Spanish  families  have  enormous 
privileges,  you  know  ;  far  greater  than  we  have  here. 
Well,  he  never  saw  her  again.  She  died  soon  after, 
under  most  suspicious  circumstances,  and  it  seemed  to 
quite  break  poor  Raymond's  life.  He  lived  only  for 
revenge,  and  became  a  moody,  stern,  utterly  desperate 
man  ;  but  he  could  not  fight  against  them.  He  found 
pne  chance  of  partial  revenge  at  the  time  of  a  Carlist 


10   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

rising.  He  got  hold  of  the  children  in  some  way  ;  and 
I'm  bound  to  say,  although  he  was  my  own  brother,  it 
was  a  most  unfortunate  thing  for  them.  He  died  soon 
afterwards,  but  not  before  he  had  ruined  the  boy's 
character.  The  lad  was  to  have  been  a  priest — the 
Quesadas  were  seeing  to  that — but  he  broke  through 
all  control  some  years  ago,  and — well,  they  tell  me 
there  is  scarcely  a  crime  forbidden  in  the  Decalogue  he 
hasn't  committed.  The  least  of  his  offences  is  that  he 
is  a  Carlist  of  the  Carlists  ;  he  has  more  than  once 
attempted  violence  against  the  Quesada  family,  and — 
in  fact  I  don't  know  what  he  hasn't  done.  What  I  do 
know  is  that  he  has  involved  his  sister,  Sarita,  in  some 
of  his  confounded  Carlist  plottings,  and  it  seems  to  be 
a  desperate  entanglement  altogether." 

"  Do  the  Quesadas  know  of  the  relationship,  sir  ? " 
"  No,  no,  thank  goodness,  no.  At  least  I  think  and 
hope  not.  There's  only  one  person  in  Madrid  knows 
of  that ;  a  Madame  Chansette.  She  is  a  Quesada,  it's 
true  ;  but  she  married  against  the  family's  wish.  She 
married  a  wealthy  Frenchman,  but  is  now  a  widow, 
and  she  went  back  to  Madrid  some  time  ago,  really  to  try 
and  take  care  of  Sarita.  The  family  have  behaved  abomi- 
nably, I  must  say  ;  and  from  what  she  tells  me  there 
seems  to  be  no  doubt  that  they've  appropriated  all  the 
children's  fortune.  Well,  Madame  Chansette  has  writ- 
ten several  times,  and  lately  has  pressed  me  to  go  over 
and  consult  with  her  about  the  children's  future.  She 
is  afraid  there  will  be  some  big  trouble  ;  and  what 
you've  got  to  do,  Ferdinand,  is  just  to  take  my  place  in 
the  affair.  I  can't  go,  of  course;  and  you've  got  a  head 
on  your  shoulders  if  you  like  to  use  it  :  and  you  can 
just  take  a  careful  look  into  things  and  see  what  f»ad 
best  be  done." 


A   WOMAN'S    PREFERENCE  ii 

"  Then  I  suppose  neither  the  brother  nor  sister  knows 
about  us  ?" 

"  God  forbid,"  cried  my  father,  fervently.  "  Unless, 
of  course,  Madame  Chansette  has  told  them.  But  she's 
a  discreet  woman,  although  she  is  Spanish  ;  and  I  don't 
think  she'd  be  so  stupid  as  to  tell  them." 

"  It's  a  rum  kettle  of  fish,"  I  said,  meditatively  ;  and 
my  father  winced  at  the  expression. 

"  What  Lascelles  said  is  rather  true,  you  know,  Fer- 
dinand. You  are  very  slangy  in  your  conversation.  I 
really  think,  now  that  you  have  to  climb  the  diplomatic 
ladder,  you  should  try  to  curb  the  habit.  Elegance  of 
diction  stands  for  so  much  in  diplomacy." 

"  It  is  certainly  a  very  involved  situation,  sir,  was 
what  I  meant,"  I  answered,  gravely. 

"  That's  much  better,  Ferdinand,  and  quite  as  ex- 
pressive. I  wish  to  feel  proud  of  you,  my  boy,  and 
hope  you  will  be  very  successful.  I  have  great  trust 
and  faith  in  you,  I  have  indeed,  if  you  will  only  try  al- 
ways to  do  your  best." 

"  I  will  try  to  be  worthy  of  the  trust,  sir,"  I  said,  ear- 
nestly, for  he  was  more  moved  than  I  had  ever  seen 
him. 

"  I  am  sure  you  will,  Ferdinand,  God  bless  you  ; " 
and  he  gave  me  his  hand.  Then  I  was  guilty  of  an  anti- 
climax. 

"  I  think  I  should  like  to  say,  sir,  that  I  know,  of 
course,  the  reason  why  my  absence  is  desirable,  and  I 
hope  that  it  will  serve  its  purpose.  I  am  not  in  the 
least  troubled  about  going." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  that,  my  boy.  Of  course,  Las- 
celles must  make  a  wealthy  marriage  if  possible. 
We've  all  known  the — the  limitations  inevitable  where 


12    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

there's  a  title  without  adequate  resources  to  maintain 
one's  position.  It  makes  such  a  difference  in  the  world. 
And,  of  course,  if  the  thing  goes  all  right,  as  I  trust  it 
will,  and  you  find  Madrid  unsupportable,  why,  you 
must  come  back.  You  know  what  a  pleasure  it  always 
is  to  me  to  have  you  at  home.  But  this  is — is  quite 
essential." 

My  father  was  at  that  moment  called  away  on  some 
political  business  and  our  conference  broke  up.  No 
opportunity  of  renewing  it  came  in  the  next  busy  days 
of  preparation  ;  and  before  the  week  was  out  I  was  on 
my  way  to  Madrid,  to  the  new  career  which  promised 
no  more  than  the  humdrum  routine  of  official  work  ; 
but  which,  from  the  very  instant  of  my  arrival  was 
destined  to  negative  so  sensationally  all  my  anticipa- 
tions. 

My  very  entrance  upon  the  scene  of  Madrid  was  in- 
deed through  a  veritable  gate  of  hazard. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE    GATE    OF    HAZARD 

WHAT  Lascelles  had  termed  my  years  of  va- 
grancy had  had  one  educational  effect — I  un- 
derstood the  art  of  travelling  comfortably.  I 
thoroughly  enjoyed  my  trip  across  France,  and  as  I  did 
not  intend  to  take  my  profession  too  seriously,  I  broke 
my  journey  at  Paris  to  renew  some  old  and  pleasant 
associations. 

I  learnt  a  piece  of  news  there  which  gave  me  much 
satisfaction.  An  old  'Varsity  friend  of  mine,  Silas 
Mayhew,  the  companion  of  many  an  unsacred  adven- 
ture, had  been  removed  from  Paris  to  the  Madrid  Em- 
bassy ;  and  the  renewal  of  our  old  comradeship  was 
an  anticipation  of  genuine  pleasure,  for  our  friendship 
was  thoroughly  sound,  wind  and  limb. 

One  incident  prior  to  my  leaving  London  I  ought 
perhaps  to  mention — the  little  comedy  of  leave-taking 
with  Mrs.  Curwen.  She  and  my  sister  had  fixed  it  up 
between  them,  and  I  learned  the  shameless  manner  in 
which  Mercy  had  been  bribed  to  bring  it  about. 

After  my  semi-understanding  with  my  father  I  felt 
myself  in  a  measure  bound  not  to  do  anything  to  inter- 
fere with  the  family  scheme,  and  I  told  Mercy  that  I 
should  not  even  call  on  Mrs.  A.  B.  C. — our  name  for 
the  widow.  She  betrayed  me  to  her  friend,  however, 
and  when  I  went  into  her  sitting-room  for  an  agreed 


H  SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

cup  of  tea  and  a  chat  on  the  day  before  that  of  my 
departure,  Mrs.  Curwen  was  there  chatting  uncon- 
cernedly with  Mercy,  whose  face  was  guiltily  tell-tale 
in  expression. 

"What  an  unexpected  pleasure,  Mr.  Ferdinand," 
exclaimed  the  widow,  laughing. 

"  By  whom  ? "  said  I,  as  we  shook  hands. 

"  What  a  thing  it  is  to  be  a  diplomatist,  and  to  be 
able  to  say  so  much  in  just  two  words.  But  I  can  be 
frank.  I  mean  unexpected  to  you,  of  course.  Mercy 
told  me  you  were  actually  going  away  on  your  wander- 
ings without  saying  good-bye  to  me — and  I  wasn't 
going  to  stand  that.  When  some  stupid  mountain  or 
other  wouldn't  go  to  Mahomet,  Mahomet  went  to  the 
mountain — like  the  very  sensible  person  he  was.  And 
it  was  all  the  same  in  the  end." 

"  That  '  stupid  mountain  '  had  no  sister  to  give  it 
away,  Mrs.  Curwen." 

"  Mercy's  just  the  dearest  friend  I  have  in  the  world. 
And  now  sit  down  and  don't  be  disagreeable,  and  we'll 
have  a  jolly  cosy  little  chat  together,  and  you  shall 
hear  the  news  and  advise  us.  What's  the  good  of 
being  an  ambassador  if  you  can't  advise  us  ?" 

"  Here's  your  tea,  Nand  ;  "  and  Mercy  handed  it 
me  with  a  glance,  asking  for  forgiveness.  I  accepted 
the  tea  and  the  situation,  as  I  do  most  good  things  in 
this  world,  complacently. 

"  What  advice  do  you  want  ?  " 

"  I  want  to  know  whether  you  think  it  would  be 
quite  a  safe  thing  for  Mercy  to  go  to  Madrid  for  a 
time,  say — a  month  or  two  hence  ?  " 

Mercy  looked  down  at  the  tea  cups  and  laughed. 
I  appeared  to  consider. 


THE    GATE   OF    HAZARD    15 

"  Yes,"  I  said,  slowly.  "  Yes  ;  but  I  am  afraid  my 
father  is  not  contemplating  a  trip  of  the  kind.  You 
see,  his  health  is  not  of  the  best,  and  his  engagements — " 
I  was  interrupted  by  a  peal  of  laughter  from  the 
widow. 

"  You  are  the  drollest  creature  !  "  she  cried.  "  Who 
said  anything  about  Lord  Glisfoyle  ?  " 

"  I  don't  fancy  Cello  has  much  notion  of  going  out 
either — at  least,  not  yet,"  and  I  pointed  .this  with  a 
look.  "  And  you  see,  Mercy  could  hardly  come  out  to 
me  alone." 

"  Mercy,  I  do  believe  he'll  make  a  diplomatist  after 
all.  He  talks  that  nonsense  with  such  a  perfectly 
solemn  face,"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Curwen.  "  I  suppose, 
'Mr.  Ferdinand,  you  haven't  the  ghost  of  an  idea  what 
I  mean,  have  you  ?  or  what  we've  been  planning." 

"  How  could  I  ?  But  if  you  have  any  idea  of  Mercy 
coming  out  to  Madrid  with  anyone  but  my  father  or 
Cello,  I  should  say  at  once  it  would  be  quite  unsafe, 
and  quite  impracticable.  There  are  a  hundred  reasons; 
but  one's  enough — the  equivocal  position  of  the  whole 
Spanish  question,  owing  to  the  unsettled  relations  with 
America." 

"  Nand,  you're  incorrigible,"  cried  Mercy  ;  but  Mrs. 
Curwen  laughed  and  clapped  her  hands,  for  both  saw 
the  double  meaning  of  my  words. 

"  I  think  that's  most  lovely.  Let  me  get  that  sen- 
tence— 'the  equivocal  position  of  the  whole  Spanish 
question,  owing  to  the  unsettled  relations  with  Amer- 
ica ' '  And  then  say  he  won't  make  a  diplomatist  ! 
Well,  you  must  know  that  Mercy  and  I  have  already 
got  our  plans  fixed  up.  She's  going  out  with  me.  I 
suppose  I  can  do  as  I  like.  And  if  I  take  a  sudden 


I6SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

fancy  to  go  to  Madrid,  I  suppose  I  may  go.  And  if  I 
can't  go  alone,  I  suppose  I  may  take  Mercy  with  me. 
At  any  rate,  that's  what  I'm  going  to  do.  I  take 
Mercy's  part  in  this,  and  agree  that  it's  horrid  you 
should  be  packed  off  out  of  the  country  and  away  from 
her  and  all  your  friends  in  this  way,  and  that  it's 
only  right  and  proper  that  you  should  have  your  sister 
out  just  to  show  people  that  you're  not  an  Ishmaelite 
among  your  own  kith  and  kin.  And  as  she  must  have 
someone  to  look  after  her,  I'm  going  too.  I  can't 
do  less  than  that  for  my  dearest  friend." 

"I'm  sure  Mercy  is  "happy  to  have  such  a  friend, 
Mrs.  Curwen,  but •" 

I  hesitated,  and  before  I  resumed,  the  door  opened 
and  Lascelles  came  in.  This  was  genuinely  unexpected 
by  us  all,  and  apparently  none  too  agreeable  to  my 
brother,  who  stopped  with  a  frown  on  his  long,  narrow 
face.  But  Mrs.  Curwen  was  equal  to  the  occasion. 

"  Here  is  another  surprise.  Do  come  in,  Mr.  Carbon- 
nell,  and  hear  all  our  plans." 

"  It's  too  bad  of  you,  Mercy,  to  monopolise  Mrs. 
Curwen  in  this  way,"  said  my  brother,  solemnly,  smoth- 
ering his  mortification. 

"  It's  not  Mercy  who  arranged  this,  I  assure  you  ; 
I  did.  I'm  dreadfully  unconventional,  and  I  just  wanted 
to  say  good-bye  to  your  brother  quietly  and  cheer  him 
up  with  the  news  that  I  mean  to  take  Mercy  out  to 
see  him  in  Madrid  soon  ;  as  soon,  say,  as  he  has  had 
time  to  really  miss  her  and  feel  lonesome." 

"  That  is  news,  indeed,"  said  Lascelles,  looking 
mightily  uncomfortable  at  hearing  it.  "  And  what  does 
Ferdinand  say  to  that  ?  " 

"  He's   rather   absurd    over    it,    I    think.      He    says 


THE   GATE   OF   HAZARD    17 

Madrid  isn't  a  very  safe  place  just  now.  Let  me  see, 
what  was  his  reason  ?  Oh,  I  know — because  of  '  the 
equivocal  position  of  the  whole  Spanish  question,  owing 
to  the  unsettled  relations  with  America,' "  and  she 
looked  up  at  him  audaciously. 

"  I  think  that's  a  very  powerful  reason,"  agreed 
Lascelles,  solemnly  ;  he  did  not  perceive  the  double 
application  of  the  phrase.  "  There  can  be  no  doubt 
that  the  possible  war  with  the  States,  and  the  attitude 
we  have  been  compelled  to  adopt,  might  render  the 
position  of  both  American  and  English  people  in  Madrid 
fraught  with  some  danger.  I  think  Ferdinand  is  quite 
right."  He  was  so  earnest  that  he  was  entirely  sur- 
prised when  Mrs.  Curwen  received  his  remark  with  a 
burst  of  hearty  and  very  mischievous  laughter. 

"  I  must  be  off,"  I  said  then,  seeing  the  prudence  of 
retreat.  "  I  have  lots  to  do.  Good-bye,  Mrs.  Curwen. 
Take  my  advice  and  don't  go  to  Madrid.  You're  much 
better  off  in  London." 

"  Good-bye,  Mr.  Ferdinand — till  we  meet  in  Madrid  ;" 
and  the  expression  of  her  eyes  was  almost  a  challenge 
as  we  shook  hands. 

She  was  a  good-enough  little  soul,  and  pretty  and 
fascinating,  too,  in  her  way ;  but  she  did  not  appeal  to 
me.  I  was  perfectly  sincere  in  my  advice  to  her  not  to 
come  out  to  Madrid,  and  the  news  of  her  marriage 
either  with  Lascelles  or  anybody  else  would  not  have 
disturbed  me  in  the  least. 

On  my  journey  I  thought  over  the  incidents  with  no 
stronger  feeling  than  that  of  a  kind  of  neutral  amuse- 
ment ;  and  although  I  would  gladly  have  stopped  in 
London  for  awhile  and  regretted  sincerely  the  separa- 
tion from  Mercy,  the  moving  bustle  of  the  journey,  the 


i8     SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

opening  of  a  fresh  page  of  experiences,  the  anticipa- 
tion of  seeing  my  old  friend,  Mayhew,  and  the  general 
sense  of  independence,  woke  my  roving  instincts,  and 
I  was  quite  ready  to  forgive  the  cheery  little  widow  for 
having  been  the  innocent  cause  of  my  exile,  and  to 
wish  my  brother  success  in  his  venture. 

It  was  about  ten  o'clock  at  night  when  I  arrived  in 
Madrid,  and  I  was  standing  by  my  luggage  waiting  for 
the  porter  of  the  hotel  to  which  I  had  telegraphed  for 
a  room,  and  looking  about  me  leisurely  according  to 
my  wont,  when  I  found  myself  the  object  of  the  close 
scrutiny  of  a  stranger.  He  passed  me  two  or  three 
times,  each  time  scanning  me  and  my  luggage  so  in- 
tently that  I  was  half  inclined  to  be  suspicious  of  him. 
He  did  not  look  like  a  detective,  however,  and  was  too 
well  dressed  for  a  thief  ;  and  he  puzzled  me.  At  last, 
to  my  surprise,  he  came  up,  raised  his  hat,  and  ad- 
dressed me  by  name  in  Spanish,  with  a  great  show  of 
politeness. 

"  I  am  not  mistaken.  Your  name  is  Carbonnell,  Fer- 
dinand Carbonnell  ?" 

"  Certainly  it  is.  The  name's  on  my  luggage," 
said  I.  I  was  not  a  diplomatist  for  nothing.  He 
bowed  and  smiled  and  gestured. 

"  It  is  also  here  in  my  instructions  ;  "  and  he  took 
from  his  pocket  a  sheet  of  notepaper  from  which  he 
read  in  Spanish,  "  Ferdinand  Carbonnell,  coming  by  the 
mail  train  arriving  ten  o'clock."  Having  read  this, 
he  added  :  "  I  am  to  ask  you  to  accompany  me  to  No. 
150,  Calle  de  Villanueva.  May  I  ask  you*  to  do  so?  " 

I  looked  at  him  in  profound  astonishment,  as  indeed 
I  well  might.  Then  it  dawned  on  me  that  Mayhew 
had  somehow  heard  of  my  arrival  and  had  sent  him. 


THE    GATE    OF    HAZARD   19 

"  Do  you  come  from  Mr.  Silas  Mayhew  ? " 

"  No,  indeed.  I  am  from  Colonel  Juan  Livenza,  at 
your  service,  senor."  This  with  snore  shrugs,  bows, 
and  smiles. 

"  Thank  you,  but  I  don't  know  any  Colonel  Livenza. 
I  can,  however,  call  on  him  ;  shall  we  say,  to-morrow  ?  " 

"  I  was  to  say  that  the  Senorita  Sarita  Castelar 
wishes  to  see  you  urgently.  My  instructions  are,  how- 
ever, not  to  press  you  to  accompany  me  if  you  are  un- 
willing ;  but  in  that  case  to  beg  you  to  name  the  hotel 
to  which  you  go,  and  where  Colonel  Livenza  himself 
may  have  the  honour  of  waiting  upon  you." 

"  I  still  don't  understand,"  I  replied.  I  did  not  ;  but 
the  mention  of  the  name  of  Sarita  Castelar  made  a  con- 
siderable impression  upon  me. 

"  It  is  my  regret  I  can  explain  no  more.  I  thought 
perhaps  you  would  know  the  urgency  of  the  matter, 
and  that  it  might  be  the  result  of  the  telegram.  But  I 
am  only  a  messenger." 

"  Telegram  ? "  I  cried,  catching  at  the  word.  Could 
my  father  have  had  important  news  about  the  Castelars 
after  I  had  left  and  have  telegraphed  to  Madame  Chan- 
sette  to  have  me  met  ?  It  was  possible,  for  he  knew 
my  route  and  the  time  I  was  to  arrive.  "  What  telegram 
do  you  mean  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Alas,  senor,  I  know  no  more  than  I  say.  I  pre- 
sume it  is  the  telegram  announcing  your  arrival.  But 
I  do  not  know.  If  you  prefer  not  to  come,  it  is  all  one 
to  me.  I  will  say  you  are  going  to  what  hotel  ?  I  was 
told  it  was  very  urgent.  Pardon  me  that  I  have  de- 
tained you." 

"  Wait  a  moment.  You  say  the  matter  is  urgent  for 
to-night?" 


20   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"I  do  not  know.  I  believe  it  is.  I  was  instructed 
to  tell  you  so.  That  is  all." 

At  that  moment  the  hotel  porter  arrived,  hot  and 
flurried  and  apologetic  for  being  late.  An  idea  occurred 
to  me  then. 

"Look  here,"  I  said  to  the  porter  ;  "  take  my  things 
to  the  hotel,  and  listen  a  moment.  This  gentleman 
has  met  me  unexpectedly  with  a  message  from  a  Col. 
Livenza  to  go  to  No.  150,  Calle  de  Villanueva.  I  am 
going  there  first,  and  do  not  expect  to  be  detained  long. 
If  I  am  there  more  than  an  hour  I  shall  need  some 
fresh  clothes.  Come  to  that  address,  therefore,  at 
half-past  eleven,  bring  that  portmanteau,  and  ask  for 
me ;  "  and  to  impress  him  with  the  importance  of  the 
matter,  I  gave  him  a  good  tip. 

"  Now,  I  am  at  your  disposal,"  I  said  to  the  stranger. 

"  You  are  suspicious,  senor  ?"  he  said,  as  we  stepped 
into  a  cab. 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it.  But  I  am  an  Englishman,  you 
know,  an  old  traveller — and  when  I  come  off  a  journey 
I  can't  bear  to  sit  for  more  than  an  hour  without  put- 
ting on  a  clean  shirt."  I  spoke  drily,  and  looked  hard 
at  him. 

"  You  are  English  ?"  he  said,  with  a  lift  of  the  eye- 
brows. "  Some  of  the  English  habits  are  very  sin- 
gular." 

"Yes,  indeed  ;  some  of  us  have  a  perfect  passion  for 
clean  linen — so  much  so,  in  fact,  that  sometimes  we 
actually  wash  our  dirty  linen  in  public." 

Not  understanding  this,  he  looked  as  if  he  thought 
I  was  half  a  lunatic ;  but  what  he  thought  was  nothing 
to  me.  If  there  was  any  nonsense  at  the  bottom  of 
this  business,  I  had  arranged  that  the  hotel  people 


should  know  of  my  arrival,  and  where  to  look  for  me  ; 
and  my  companion  understood  this.  In  the  rumbling, 
rattling,  brute  of  a  cab  the  clatter  was  too  great  for  us 
to  speak,  and  after  one  or  two  inefficient  shoutings  we 
gave  up  the  attempt,  and  I  sat  wondering  what  in  the 
world  the  thing  could  mean. 

I  was  curious,  but  not  in  the  least  suspicious ;  and 
when  we  drew  up  at  an  important-looking  house,  I 
followed  my  companion  into  it  readily  enough.  The 
hall  was  square  and  lofty,  but  ill-lighted,  and  the 
broad  stairway,  up  one  flight  of  which  he  took  me, 
equally  gloomy.  He  ushered  me  into  a  room  at  the 
back  of  the  house  and  left  me,  saying  he  would  tell  the 
Colonel  of  my  arrival. 

The  room,  like  the  rest  of  the  house,  was  dimly 
lighted,  and  the  furniture  heavy  and  shabby,  and  abomi- 
nably gloomy  and  dirty.  I  was  weary  with  my  journey, 
and  threw  myself  into  a  big  chair  with  a  yawn  and  a 
wish  that  the  business,  whatever  it  might  be,  would  soon 
be  over.  No  one  came  for  some  minutes,  and  I  lighted 
a  cigarette  and  had  smoked  it  half  through,  when  my 
impatience  at  this  discourteous  treatment  got  the  bet- 
ter of  me,  and  I  resolved  to  go  in  search  of  some 
means  of  bringing  this  Col,  Livenza  to  me.  Then  I 
made  a  disconcerting  discovery.  The  door  was  locked 
or  bolted  on  the  outside.  I  looked  about  for  a  bell, 
but  there  was  none.  There  was,  however,  another 
door,  and  that  I  found  unfastened. 

I  had  now  had  enough  of  this  kind  of  Spanish  hospi- 
tality, and  was  for  getting  out  of  the  house  without 
any  more  nonsense.  The  second  door  opened  into  a 
room  which  was  quite  dark  ;  but  as  soon  as  my  eyes 
had  grown  accustomed  to  the  darkness,  I  made  out  a 


22    SARITA,   THE    CARLIST 

thin  streak  of  light  at  the  far  end,  which  told  of 
another  door,  ajar. 

I  crossed  the  room  very  cautiously  and  slowly,  lest 
in  the  darkness  I  should  stumble  over  any  furniture, 
and  was  close  to  the  door,  when  I  was  brought  to  a 
sudden  halt  by  hearing  my  own  name  pronounced  by  a 
heavy,  strident,  and  obviously  angry  voice. 

"  I  tell  you,  gentlemen,  this  Ferdinand  Carbonnell  is 
a  traitor  and  a  villain.  He  is  playing  a  game  of  devil- 
ish duplicity,  pretending  to  help  the  Carlist  cause  and 
intriguing  at  the  same  time  with  the  Government.  He 
has  come  to  Madrid  now  for  that  purpose.  There  are 
the  proofs.  You  have  seen  them,  and  can  judge  whether 
I  have  said  a  word  too  much  in  declaring  him  a  danger- 
ous, damnable  traitor." 

In  the  start  that  I  gave  at  hearing  this  extraordi- 
nary speech,  my  foot  struck  a  small  table  and  over- 
turned it.  Some  kind  of  glass  or  china  ornament 
standing  on  it  fell  to  the  ground,  and  the  crash  of  the 
fall  was  heard  by  the  men  in  the  room,  who  flung  the 
door  wide  open  and  came  rushing  in  to  learn  the  cause. 


CHAPTER  III 

CARLISTS 

A  MAN  does  not  knock  about  the  world  for  noth- 
ing, and  the  one  or  two  ugly  corners  I 
had  had  to  turn  in  my  time  had  taught  me 
the  value  of  thinking  quickly  and  keeping  my  head  in 
a  crisis.  I  looked  from  one  to  the  other  of  the  men — 
there  were  three  of  them — and  asked  in  a  cool  and  level 
tone — 

"Is  either  of  you  gentlemen  Colonel  Livenza?1* 

"  I  am.  Who  are  you,  and  what  are  you  doing 
here?" 

"  Considering  the  rather  free  use  you've  been  making 
with  my  name,  Ferdinand  Carbonnell,  and  that  I  was 
brought  here  by  someone  who  called  himself  your  mes- 
senger— and,  if  I'm  not  mistaken,  is  now  standing  be- 
side you — and  was  left  in  a  locked  room  yonder,  that 
question  strikes  me  as  a  little  superfluous.  Anyway,  I 
shall  be  glad  of  an  explanation,"  and  I  pushed  on 
through  the  door  into  the  lighted  room. 

The  men  made  way  for  me,  and  the  moment  I  had 
passed  shut  and  locked  the  door  behind  me.  I  affected 
to  take  no  heed  of  this  act,  suggestive  though  it  was, 
and  turned  to  Colonel  Livenza  for  his  explanation. 

He  was  a  dark,  handsome  fellow  enough,  somewhere 
about  midway  in  the  thirties  ;  a  stalwart,  upright,  mili- 
tary man,  with  keen  dark  eyes,  and  a  somewhat  fierce 


24SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

expression — a  powerful  face,  indeed,  except  for  a  weak, 
sensual,  and  rather  brutish  mouth,  but  a  very  awkward 
antagonist,  no  doubt,  in  any  kind  of  scrimmage.  One 
of  the  others  was  he  who  had  met  me  at  the  station, 
and  the  third  was  of  a  very  different  class  ;  and  I 
thought  that  if  his  character  paired  with  his  looks,  I 
would  rather  have  him  in  my  pay  than  among  my  ene- 
mies. 

"  So  you  are  Ferdinand  Carbonnell?"  cried  the  Col- 
onel, after  staring  at  me  truculently,  and  with  a  gaze 
that  seemed  to  me  to  be  inspired  by  deep  passion. 
The  note  in  his  voice,  too,  was  distinctly  contemptuous. 
What  could  have  moved  him  to  this  passion  I  could 
not,  of  course,  for  the  life  of  me  even  guess. 

"  Yes,  I  am  Ferdinand  Carbonnell,  and  shall  be 
glad  to  understand  the  reason  of  this  most  extraor- 
dinary reception,  and  of  the  far  more  extraordinary 
blunder  which  must  be  at  the  bottom  of  it." 

"  You  carry  things  with  a  high  hand — but  that  won't 
serve  you.  We  have  brought  you  here  to-night — 
trapped  you  here  if  you  prefer  it — to  make  you  explain, 
if  you  can,  your  treachery  to  the  Carlist  cause,  and  if 
you  canno't  explain  it,  to  take  the  consequences." 

The  gross  absurdity  of  the  whole  thing  struck  me  so 
forcibly  at  that  moment,  and  his  exaggerated  and  melo- 
dramatic rant  was  so  ridiculously  out  of  proportion 
that  I  laughed  as  I  answered — 

"  Really  this  is  farce,  not  tragedy,  senor.  I  have 
never  seen  you  before  ;  I  know  nothing  of  you  or  your 
affairs  ;  I  am  not  a  Carlist,  and  never  have  been  ;  I  am 
not  a  Spaniard,  but  an  Englishman ;  I  have  just  come 
from  London  ;  and  I  assure  you,  on  my  honour  as  an 
Englishman,  that  you  are  labouring  under  a  complete 


CARLISTS  25 

mistake  as  to  myself.  I  beg  you,  therefore,  to  put 
an  end  to  a  false  position,  and  allow  me  to  leave,  be- 
fore you  make  any  further  disclosures  which  may  com- 
promise you  and  these  other  gentlemen." 

Whether  this  declaration  would  have  had  any  paci- 
fying effect  upon  him  had  I  not  prefaced  it  with  my 
ill-advised  laughter  I  cannot  say  ;  but  the  laugh  seemed 
to  goad  him  into  a  paroxysm  of  such  uncontrollable 
rage  that  he  could  barely  endure  to  hear  me  to  the  end, 
and  when  I  ended,  he  cried,  in  a  voice  positively  thick 
and  choking  with  fury — 

"You  are  a  liar,  a  smooth-tongued,  hypocritical, 
cowardly  liar  ;  and  having  done  your  dirty  traitor's 
work,  you  seek  to  cheat  us  by  these  lies.  I  know  them 
to  be  lies." 

This  was  unendurable.  However  much  the  person 
for  whom  this  angry  fool  mistook  me  deserved  this 
flood  of  abuse,  it  was  certain  that  I  didn't,  and  I  wasn't 
going  to  put  up  with  it.  The  quarrel,  which  belonged 
obviously  to  somebody  else,  was  fast  being  foisted  on 
to  me,  but  no  man  can  stand  that  sort  of  talk,  and  my 
temper  began  to  heat  up  quickly.  I  moved  a  pace  or 
two  nearer,  to  be  within  striking  distance,  and  then  gave 
him  a  chance  of  retracting. 

"  I  have  explained  to  you  that  you  have  made  a  mis- 
take, and  in  return  you  call  me  a  liar.  I  repeat  you  are 
entirely  in  error,  and  I  call  upon  you,  whoever  you  are, 
to  withdraw  your  words  unconditionally,  make  such 
enquiries  as  will  satisfy  you  of  your  blunder,  and  then 
apologise  to  me.  Otherwise " 

He  listened  with  a  smile  on  his  face,  and  shrugged 
his  shoulders  contemptuously,  at  my  unfinished  sen- 
tence, 


26  SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"  Well,  otherwise  ?  I  tell  you  again  you  are  a  liar 
and  a  perjured  traitor  to  the  cause." 

I  raised  my  fist  to  strike  him  in  the  face,  when  the 
two  others  interposed,  thrust  me  back  and  away  from 
him  with  considerable  violence,  and  then  covered  me 
with  their  revolvers. 

"  No,  no  ;  none  of  that,"  growled  one  of  them, 
threateningly.  "  You've  done  enough  harm  already. 
If  what  we  believe  is  true,  you're  not  fit  for  that  kind 
of  punishment.  We'll  deal  with  you,  for  the  cursed 
pig  you  are." 

I  was  not  such  a  fool  as  to  argue  against  two  loaded 
revolvers  levelled  dead  at  my  head  and  held  within  a 
yard.  But  it  struck  me  that  Colonel  Livenza  was  not 
altogether  satisfied  with  the  interruption,  and  that  he 
had  some  kind  of  personal  interest  in  the  affair  which 
was  apart  from  the  motives  of  his  companions. 

"  Do  as  you  will,"  I  said,  after  a  second's  thought. 
"And  do  it  quickly.  The  people  at  the  hotel  to  which 
I  was  going  know  where  I  have  come.  I  told  them  ; 
and  a  messenger  will  be  here  shortly  from  there."  I 
intended  this  to  frighten  them  ;  and  for  the  moment  it 
did  so.  But  in  the  end  it  acted  merely  as  a  warning, 
and  gave  them  time  to  concoct  a  lie  with  which  to  get 
rid  of  the  hotel  porter  when  he  arrived. 

One  of  them  kept  me  covered  with  his  pistol  while 
the  others  talked  together  and  referred  to  some  papers 
which  lay  on  a  table.  Then  the  man  who  had  met  me 
at  the  station,  and  whom  I  judged  to  be  in  some  way 
the  Colonel's  inferior,  turned  to  me  with  the  papers  in 
his  hand,  and  began  to  question  me. 

"  You  admit  you  are  Ferdinand  Carbonnell  ?  " 

"  My    name    is    Ferdinand    Carbonnell  ;   I   am    an 


CAR  LISTS  *; 

Englishman,  the  son  of  Lord  Glisfoyle,  an  English 
nobleman,  and  I  have  come  to  Madrid  from  London  to 
join " 

"  Enough  ;  you  are  Ferdinand  Carbonnell.  You 
have  just  come  from  Paris,  haven't  you  ?" 

"  I  came  through  Paris,  from  London."  A  sneer 
showed  that  he  regarded  this  admission  as  a  contradic- 
tion of  my  previous  statement.  "  Paris  is  on  the  direct 
route  from  London,"  I  added. 

"  And  on  the  indirect  route  from  a  thousand  other 
places,"  he  retorted.  "Your  only  chance  is  to  stick 
to  the  truth.  You  shall  have  a  fair  trial,  and  it  will  go 
less  hard  with  you  if  you  speak  the  truth.  I  am  Felipe 
Corpola,  and  this  is  Pedro  Valera — you  will  know  our 
names  well  enough." 

"  On  the  contrary,  I  never  heard  your  names  until 
this  instant,  nor  that  of  Colonel  Livenza  until  it  was 
told  me  at  the  station." 

"  Santa  Maria  !  what  a  lie  !  "  exclaimed  the  third 
man,  Valera,  in  a  loud  aside  ;  and  by  this  I  gathered 
they  were  two  Carlists  prominent  enough  to  be  fairly 
well-known  in  the  ranks  of  that  wide  company. 

"  On  the  zoth  of  last  month  you  were  at  Valladolid, 
two  days  later  at  Burgos,  and  two  days  later  still  at 
Saragossa,  urging  that  a  rising  should  take  place  there 
simultaneously  with  that  planned  at  Berga  two  months 
hence  in  May." 

"  I  have  not  been  at  either  of  those  places  for  three 
years  past.  At  the  dates  you  mention  I  was  in  London  ; 
and  I  warn  you  that  you  are  giving  me  information 
which  may  prove  very  compromising  for  you  and  those 
associated  with  you.  I  am  no  Carlist."  My  protestation 
was  received  with  fresh  symptoms  of  utter  disbelief. 


28   SARITA,   THE    CARLIST 

"  You  were  to  go  to  Paris  in  connection  with  the 
funds  needed  for  the  enterprise  ;  the  two  leaders  chosen 
to  go  with  you  to  receive  the  money  were  Tomaso 
Garcia  and  Juan  Narvaez  ;  and  a  list  of  the  names  of 
all  the  leaders  in  the  matter  was  given  to  you." 

"  This  is  all  an  absolute  blunder,"  I  cried,  indig- 
nantly. "I  know  nothing  whatever  of  a  jot  or  tittle 
of  it." 

"  I  warned  you  not  to  lie,"  cried  Corpola,  sternly. 
"  This  is  all  proved  here  in  black  and  white  under  your 
own  name  ;  "  and  he  flourished  before  me  some  docu- 
ments. "  This  is  the  charge  against  you  and  explain 
it  if  you  can.  Almost  directly  afterwards  our  two 
comrades,  Garcia  and  Narvaez,  disappeared  ;  nearly 
the  whole  of  the  men  whose  names  were  on  that  list 
given  to  you  were  arrested  at  one  swoop  by  the 
Government ;  and  a  secret  information  in  your  hand- 
writing together  with  the  original  list  of  the  leaders 
found  their  way  into  the  hands  of  the  Government. 
Explain  that  act  of  foul  treachery  if  you  can  " — and 
his  voice  almost  broke  with  passion — "  or  may  the 
Holy  Mother  have  more  mercy  on  you  than  we  will 
have." 

The  intense  earnestness  and  passion  of  the  man 
were  a  proof  of  his  sincerity,  and  also  of  the  danger  in 
which  I  stood.  The  whole  thing  was  a  mad  mistake, 
of  course ;  but  that  I  could  prove  it  in  time  to  stop 
them  taking  the  steps  which  I  could  see  they  con- 
templated was  far  less  clear  ;  and  for  the  moment 
I  was  nonplussed.  Up  to  that  instant  I  had  been  so 
confident  the  mistake  would  be  discovered  that  I  had 
felt  no  misgivings  as  to  the  issue.  But  the  sight  of 
Corpola's  burning  indignation,  his  obvious  conviction 


C  A  R  L  I  S  T  S  29 

that  I  was  the  man  who  had  been  guilty  of  the  act 
which  had  so  moved  him,  and  my  intuitive  recognition 
that  his  fanaticism  made  him  really  dangerous,  disturbed 
me  now  profoundly. 

"  Speak,  man,  speak,"  he  cried,  stridently,  when  I 
stood  thinking  in  silence. 

"  I  can  only  say  what  I  have  said  before,  that  it  is 
all  a  horrible  mistake.  I  am  not  the  man  you  think 
me." 

"  You  are  Ferdinand  Carbonnell,  you  have  admitted 
it." 

"  I  am  not  the  Ferdinand  Carbonnell  you  accuse  of 
treachery." 

"What  !  Would  you  fool  us  with  a  child's  tale  that 
there  are  two  Ferdinand  Carbonnells?  Can  your  wits, 
so  subtle  and  quick  in  treachery  spin  no  cleverer 
defence  than  that  ?  By  the  Virgin,  that  one  so  trusted 
should  sink  so  low  !  All  shame  to  us  who  have  trusted 
so  poor  a  thing  !  Can  you  produce  the  list  that  was 
given  you,  or  tell  us  something  to  let  us  believe  that  at 
the  worst  it  was  filched  from  you  when  you  were  drunk 
and  so  conveyed  to  the  Government.  Anything,  my 
God,  anything,  but  the  blunt  fact  that  we  have 
harboured  such  a  treacherous  beast  as  a  man  who 
would  deliberately  sell  his  comrades."  The  sight  of 
his  passion  tore  me  as  a  harrow  tears  and  scarifies  the 
ground. 

"  What  I  have  told  you  is  the  truth.  I  am  not  the 
man." 

"  It  is  a  lie  ;  a  damnable  lie,  and  you  are  the  paltry, 
filthy  dog  of  a  coward  that  you  were  called  and  shall 
have  a  dog's  death.  What  say  you,  Valera  ?  " 

"  He  is  guilty  ;  serve  him  as  he  has  served  our  com- 


30    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

rades,"  growled  the  brute,  with  a  scowl,  taking  some  of 
the  other's  vehement  passion  into  his  more  dogged, 
sluggish  nature. 

"  Colonel,  you  are  right.  He  is  the  traitor  you  de- 
clared, and  I  give  my  voice  for  his  death.  Aye,  and 
by  the  Holy  Cross,  mine  shall  be  the  hand  to  punish 
him  ;  "  and  he  raised  it  on  high  and  clenched  it  while 
the  fury  of  his  rage  flashed  from  his  eyes,  flushed  his 
mobile  swarthy  face,  and  vibrated  in  his  impetuous, 
vindictive  utterance.  I  had  never  seen  a  man  more 
completely  overwhelmed  by  the  flood  of  passion ;  and 
for  the  moment  I  half  expected  him  to  turn  his  pistol 
on  me  there  and  then  and  send  a  bullet  into  my  brain. 

Colonel  Livenza  appeared  also  to  have  some  such 
thought  for  he  put  himself  between  us. 

"  We  must  be  cautious,  Corpola,"  he  said,  and  drew 
him  aside  to  confer  apparently  as  to  the  best  means  of 
dealing  with  me,  Valera  meanwhile  keeping  me  covered 
with  his  revolver. 

What  to  do  I  could  not  think.  I  made  no  show  of 
resistance  ;  that  was  clearly  not  my  cue  at  present  ; 
but  I  had  no  intention  of  giving  in  without  a  very  des- 
perate attempt  to  escape  ;  and  I  stood  waiting  for  the 
moment  which  would  give  me  the  chance  I  sought,  and 
planning  the  best  means.  By  hook  or  crook  I  must 
get  possession  of  one  of  the  revolvers,  and  I  watched 
with  the  vigilance  of  a  lynx  for  an  opportunity.  I  was 
a  stronger  man  than  either  of  the  three  and  my  muscles 
were  always  in  excellent  trim,  and  in  a  tussle  on  equal 
terms  I  should  not  have  feared  the  result  of  a  scrim- 
mage with  two  of  them.  Unarmed,  however,  I  was 
completely  at  their  mercy  ;  and  hence  my  anxiety. 

The  Colonel  and  Corpola  were  conferring  together, 


CARLISTS  31 

arguing  with  much  energy  and  gesture  when  someone 
knocked.  The  door  was  opened  cautiously  and  I  heard 
someone  say  that  the  porter  from  the  hotel  had  brought 
my  bag  and  had  asked  for  me.  There  was  another 
whispered  conference,  and  then  a  message  was  sent  in 
my  name  to  the  effect  that  I  was  not  going  to  the  hotel 
that  night  and  probably  not  on  the  next  day,  as  I  had 
been  called  away.  I  would  send  for  my  luggage  later. 

I  protested  vehemently  against  this,  but  my  protest 
was  disregarded  ;  and  I  suffered  a  keen  pang  of  morti- 
fication at  seeing  my  precaution  quietly  checkmated  in 
this  way.  It  impressed  upon  me  more  vividly  than 
anything  else  could  have  done  the  reality  of  the  peril 
in  which  I  stood. 

When  the  messenger  left,  the  discussion  between  the 
Colonel  and  Corpola  was  resumed,  and  I  began  to  eye 
my  guard  more  closely  than  ever,  for  some  sign  that 
his  vigilance  was  sufficiently  relaxed  to  enable  me  to 
make  a  spring  upon  him  and  seize  his  weapon. 

But  just  when  I  was  in  the  very  act  of  making  my 
effort  another  interruption  came  from  without.  There 
was  a  second  knocking  at  the  door,  this  time  hurried 
and  agitated,  and  a  voice  called,  urgently  and  vehe- 
mently, 

"Colonel  Livenza,  Colonel  Livenza  !  I  must  see  you 
at  once." 

It  was  a  woman's  voice,  and  the  three  men  were  ob- 
viously disturbed  at  it. 

"  Quick,  you  two.  Take  him  into  the  next  room," 
said  Livenza,  in  a  whisper. 

Corpola  and  Valera  seized  me,  and  each  menacing 
me  with  his  revolver  and  pressing  the  barrel  close 
against  my  head,  led  me  into  the  dark  room  adjoining, 


32SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

Livenza  opening  the  door  and  closing  it  again  the  in- 
stant we  had  passed, 

"  A  single  sound  will  cost  you  your  life,"  whispered 
Corpola,  fiercely  into  my  ear,  giving  an  additional 
pressure  of  the  pistol-barrel  by  way  of  emphasis. 

But  he  did  not  succeed  in  scaring  me  to  the  extent 
he  hoped.  The  circumstances  were  now  as  much  in  my 
favour  as  I  could  expect  to  have  them.  It  was  not  a 
pleasant  experience  to  stand  between  two  desperate 
fanatics  in  a  dark  room  with  their  pistols  pressed  close 
to  my  head  ;  but  it  was  obvious  that  I  had  only  to  jerk 
my  head  out  of  the  touch  of  the  pistols  to  make  it  ex- 
ceedingly difficult  for  my  guards  to  regain  their  advan- 
tage. 

Despite  my  awkward  plight  I  was  hopeful  now,  for 
both  were  positively  trembling  with  excitement. 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  all  this  ?  "  I  whispered  ; 
designing  merely  to  get  them  off  their  guard.  "That 
was  a  woman's  voice." 

"  Silence  !  "  said  Corpola,  in  a  fierce  whisper. 

"  Very  well,"  I  answered,  with  a  big  shrug  of  my 
shoulders. 

This  action  was  designedly  intended  to  embarrass 
the  two  men,  and  for  half  a  second  the  pressure  of  the 
pistol-barrels  was  relaxed  ;  but  that  half-second  was 
sufficient  for  me.  I  slipped  my  head  back  from  between 
the  pistols,  and  at  the  same  moment  caught  the  two 
men  from  behind  and  thrust  them  against  each  other  ; 
then  turning  on  Valera,  the  weaker  of  the  two,  I  gripped 
his  revolver  in  my  left  hand,  caught  his  throat  with  the 
other,  and  dragged  him  across  the  room,  scattering 
chairs  and  tables  and  bric-a-brac  in  my  course,  and 
having  wrested  his  weapon  from  him,  flung  him  away 


CARLISTS  33 

from  me  into  the  darkness.  Then  I  fired  the  revolver 
and  sent  up  a  shout  for  help  that  echoed  and  re-echoed 
through  the  room. 

A  loud  cry  in  a  woman's  voice  followed,  then  the 
sound  of  an  excited  altercation  in  high  tones,  the  door 
of  the  room  I  had  just  left  was  thrown  open  and  Colonel 
Livenza  and  a  woman's  figure  showed  in  the  frame  of 
light. 

"  Have  a  care,"  I  called.  "  I  am  armed  now  and 
desperate."  But  at  that  moment  there  was  the  flash 
and  report  of  a  pistol  fired  close  to  me  and  Corpola, 
who  had  used  the  moment  to  approach  me  stealthily 
from  behind,  threw  himself  on  me.  I  had  twice  his 
strength,  however,  and  my  blood  being  up  I  turned  on 
him  savagely,  and,  untwisting  his  arms,  seized  him  by 
the  throat,  and  fearing  Livenza  might  come  to  his  aid, 
dashed  his  head  against  the  wall  with  violence  enough 
to  stun  him.  Then  jumping  to  my  feet  again  and  still 
having  my  revolver,  I  rushed  to  square  matters  with 
Livenza  himself,  who  alone  stood  now  between  me  and 
freedom. 

At  that  instant  the  woman  spoke. 

"You  are  Ferdinand  Carbonnell.  Have  no  fear. 
You  are  quite  safe  now.  I  came  here  on  your  account. " 
The  words  were  good  to  hear  in  themselves  ;  but  the 
voice  that  uttered  them  was  the  most  liquid,  silvery 
and  moving  that  had  ever  fallen  on  my  ears  ;  and  so 
full  of  earnest  sincerity  and  truth  that  it  commanded 
instant  confidence. 

As  she  spoke  she  stepped  back  into  the  room  and  I 
saw  her  features  in  the  light.  To  my  surprise  she  was 
no  more  than  a  girl  ;  but  a  girl  with  a  face  of  surpass- 
ing beauty  of  the  ripest  southern  type,  and  her  eyes, 


34    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

large,  luminous,  dark  brown  glorious  eyes,  rested  on 
my  face  with  a  look  of  intense  concern  and  glowing 
interest. 

"  You  will  not  need  that  weapon,  Senor  Carbonnell," 
she  said,  glancing  at  the  revolver  I  still  held. 

"  I  am  convinced  of  that,"  I  answered,  smiling,  and 
tossed  it  on  to  the  table. 

"  I  thank  you.  You  trust  me,"  she  said,  with  a 
smile,  as  she  gave  me  her  hand.  "  I  am  Sarita  Cas- 
telar,  this  is  my  good  aunt,  Madame  Chansette  ;  Col- 
onel Livenza,  here,  is  now  anxious  to  make  amends  to 
you  for  the  extraordinary  occurrences  of  to-night." 

He  was  standing  with  a  very  sheepish,  hang-dog 
expression  on  his  face,  and  when  she  looked  at  him,  I 
saw  him  fight  to  restrain  the  deep  feelings  which  seemed 
to  be  tearing  at  his  very  heart  during  the  few  moments 
he  was  fighting  down  his  passion.  He  looked  at  me 
with  a  light  of  hate  in  his  eyes,  crossed  to  the  door, 
and  threw  it  open. 

"  If  I  have  made  a  mistake  I  regret  it,"  he  said, 
sullenly. 

"  Senor  Carbonnell  will  give  his  word  of  honour,  I 
know,  not  to  speak  of  anything  that  has  happened  here 
to-night,"  said  the  girl. 

"  Willingly.  I  pledge  my  word,"  I  assented,  di- 
rectly. 

"  Then  we  will  go.  Our  carriage  is  waiting  ;  will 
you  let  us  take  you  to  your  hotel  ? "  And  without  any 
further  words  we  left  the  room  and  the  house,  Sarita 
insisting  that  I  should  lead  Madame  Chansette  while 
she  followed  alone,  having  refused  the  Colonel's  escort. 


SARITA    CASTELAR 

THE  rapid  kaleidoscopic  change  in  the  situation, 
and  the  surprising  means  by  which  it  had  all 
been  brought  about,  were  so  profoundly  as- 
tonishing that  for  a  time  I  was  at  a  loss  for  words  to 
thank  the  wonderful  girl  who  had  come  to  my  rescue. 

The  palpitating  actuality  of  imminent  danger;  the  ve- 
hemence of  Corpola's  wild,  fanatical  passion  ;  the 
tension  as  I  stood  in  the  dark  room  waiting  for  the 
moment  to  strike  ;  the  exertions  of  the  two  desperate 
struggles  which  followed,  and  then  the  sudden  transi- 
tion to  the  perfect  assurance  of  safety  which  followed 
the  intervention  of  Sarita  Castelar,  were  succeeded  by 
some  minutes  of  reaction.  I  could  not  instantly  rec- 
oncile myself  to  a  return  to  the  atmosphere  of  every- 
day commonplace. 

The  mere  utterance  of  an  ordinary  formula  of  thanks 
seemed  so  inadequate  to  the  occasion  that  I  sat  still 
and  silent  as  we  dashed  through  the  now  nearly-de- 
serted streets,  thinking  over  the  whole  mystery  and 
wondering  what  could  possibly  be  the  clue. 

Before  I  had  collected  my  wits  the  carriage  drew  up 
with  a  jerk  at  the  hotel. 

"  I  have  not  thanked  you,"  I  said,  feebly. 

"  You  can  do  that  another  time  if  you  think  thanks 
are  necessary.  We  shall  be  at  home  to-morrow  after- 


36    SARITA,   THE    CARLIST 

noon.  There  is  much  to  explain.  Will  you  come 
then  ?  28,  in  the  Plaza  del  Nuovo.  But  you  know 
where  we  live." 

"Yes,  come,  Senor  Carbonnell,"  said  Madame  Chan- 
sette,  "I  am  anxious  to  speak  with  you — most 
anxious." 

"  My  dear  aunt  is  in  sore  need  of  diplomatic  advice 
to  control  her  turbulent  niece,"  said  Sarita,  laughing. 
"  We  shall  expect  you,  mind." 

"  I  shall  certainly  come,"  I  answered,  eagerly.  "  But 
I  want " 

"  No,  no,  not  to-night.  Everything  to-morrow. 
Good-night ; "  and  she  held  out  her  hand  and  dis- 
missed me. 

I  stood  staring  blankly  after  the  carriage,  and  then 
walked  into  the  hotel  feeling  much  like  a  man  in  a 
dream,  dazzled  by  the  beauty  of  the  girl  who  had  ren- 
dered me  this  inestimable  service  ;  and  when  I  reached 
my  room  I  threw  open  my  window,  gazed  out  over  the 
moon-lit  city,  and  steeped  my  senses  in  a  maze  of  be- 
wildering delight  as  I  recalled  the  witchery  of  her 
inspiring  voice,  the  glances  of  her  lustrous,  wonderful 
eyes,  and  the  magnetic  charm  of  her  loveliness.  At 
that  moment  the  thoughts  dearer  to  me  than  all  else  in 
the  world  were  that  she  was  so  interested  in  me  that 
she  had  done  all  this  for  my  sake,  that  she  was  my 
cousin  whose  future  and  fortune  her  guardian  wished 
me  to  protect  and,  above  all,  that  I  was  to  see  her 
again  on  the  morrow,  and  for  many  morrows.  Madrid 
had  become,  instead  of  a  place  of  exile,  a  veritable 
city  of  Blessed  Promise. 

How  long  I  gazed  out  into  the  moonlight  and  rhapso- 
dised in  this  fashion  I  do  not  know  ;  but  I  do  know 


SARITA    CASTELAR        37 

that  I  had  a  sufficient  interval  of  lucid  commonsense 
to  be  conscious  that  I  had  fallen  hopelessly  in  love  with 
my  cousin  at  first  sight,  and  it  was  a  source  of  rarest 
ecstasy  to  picture  in  fancy  the  great  things  I  would 
achieve  to  serve  her,  and  to  hope  that  a  chance  of  do- 
ing some  of  them  would  come  my  way.  And  when  I 
got  into  bed  and  fell  asleep  it  was  to  dream  that  I  was 
doing  them. 

I  am  not  exactly  a  rhapsodist  by  nature  ;  and  the 
lapse  into  wistful  dreaminess  had  all  the  charm  of  the 
unusual  for  me  ;  but  the  morning  found  me  in  a  much 
more  practical  frame  of  mind. 

I  reviewed  coolly  the  strange  events  which  had 
heralded  my  arrival  in  Madrid,  and  certain  points 
began  to  trouble  me  ;  that  there  should  be  someone  of 
doubtful  repute  of  the  same  name  as  my  own,  and  that 
so  glorious  a  creature  as  Sarita  Castelar  should  be 
deeply  mixed  up  with  Carlists  of  such  a  desperate 
character  as  those  who  had  menaced  my  life. 

Those  were  the  matters  which  needed  to  be  cleared 
up  first,  and  I  would  ask  her  freely  about  them  that 
afternoon.  But  in  the  meantime  prudence  warned  me 
to  hold  my  tongue  about  everything. 

I  went  to  the  Embassy  to  report  myself,  and  after- 
wards had  lunch  and  a  long  chat  with  my  old  friend, 
Mayhew.  His  knowledge  on  all  matters  and  persons 
in  Madrid  was  quite  cyclopaedic,  and  he  told  me  a  hun- 
dred and  one  things  that  would  be  useful  for  me  to 
know.  I  need  only  refer  to  two  subjects.  We  were 
speaking  of  Spanish  politics  when  he  mentioned  a  name 
that  kindled  suddenly  all  my  interest. 

"  The  man  of  the  hour  here  is  Sebastian  Quesada, 
the  Minister  of  the  Interior,"  he  told  me.  "  He  is  out- 


38    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

and-away  the  most  powerful  member  of  the  Govern- 
ment, and,  I  believe,  a  most  dangerous  man.  He  plays 
for  nothing  but  his  own  hand,  and  allows  nothing  to 
stand  in  his  way.  The  most  ghastly  stories  are  told  of 
him  ;  and  I  believe  most  of  them  are  true,  while  all  of 
them  might  be.  He  will  court  you,  fawn  on  you, 
threaten  you,  promote  you,  anything  in  the  world  so 
long  as  he  can  use  you,  and  the  instant  you  are  useless 
to  him  or  stand  in  his  way,  he  kicks  you  out  of  it, 
ruins  you,  treads  you  in  the  gutter,  imprisons  you,  or, 
if  needs  be,  gets  a  convenient  bullet  planted  in  your 
head  or  a  knife  in  your  heart.  You  smile,  but  he  has 
done  it  in  more  instances  than  one.  He  is  piling  up 
money  fast  by  the  most  disreputable  and  dirtiest 
methods  ;  and  Heaven  and  himself  only  know  how 
rich  he  is,  for  he  is  a  veritable  miser  in  his  avarice  and 
secrecy.  But  he  has  what  so  few  in  this  strange, 
lackadaisical  country  possess — indomitable  will  and 
tireless  energy.  If  you  come  his  way,  Carbonnell,  give 
him  as  wide  a  berth  as  you  can  ;  or,  look  to  yourself. 
And  if  ever  you  have  to  cross  swords  with  him,  arrange 
your  affairs,  make  your  will,  and  prepare  for  failure 
before  you  start  on  the  expedition." 

"  I  have  heard  of  him,"  I  said. 

"  Europe  will  hear  of  him,  too,  unless  some  one  of 
his  victims  gets  a  chance  to  assassinate  him.  If  this 
were  a  Republic,  he  would  be  President,  and  his  policy 
would  be  pretty  much  like  that  of  the  Moors — he'd 
make  his  position  permanent  by  killing  off  every  pos- 
sible competitor.  And  I'm  not  by  any  means  sure 
that  he  won't  yet  be  the  first  President  of  a  Spanish 
Republic." 

And  this  was  the  man  who  had  filched  the  Castelar's 


SARITA    CASTELAR        39 

patrimony,  and  it  was  to  be  part  of  my  task  to  try  and 
force  him  to  disgorge  it !  A  hopeful  prospect. 

"  By  the  way,  do  you  know  a  Colonel  Livenza  ?  "  I 
asked. 

"  I  know  of  him — Colonel  Juan  Livenza,  you  mean. 
There's  not  much  to  know  about  him.  He's  a  cavalry 
officer  of  good  family,  held  in  fairly  high  esteem,  and 
said  to  be  a  man  of  exemplary  life.  A  royalist  of  the 
royalists ;  a  bigot  in  his  loyalty  indeed,  they  say  ;  and 
like  all  bigots,  narrow-creeded  and  narrow-minded.  A 
follower  of  Quesada,  and  either  a  believer  in  him  or  a 
tool.  Presumably,  Quesada  hasn't  yet  had  need  to  use 
him  and  get  rid  of  him.  But  that  day  will  come. 
Livenza  is  pretty  mutfh  of  a  fanatic  in  his  religion,  his 
politics,  and  his  militarism  ;  and  like  all  fanatics,  has 
to  be  watched,  because  one  lobe  of  the  brain  is  always 
too  big  for  the  skull,  and  may  lead  him  into  danger. 
At  present,  indeed,  it  is  sometimes  whispered  that  he 
has  a  much  more  dangerous  fanaticism  than  politics  or 
religion — a  passion  for  that  turbulent  little  revolution- 
ary beauty,  Sarita  Castelar.  Now,  Carbonnell,  if  you 
want  a  type  of  perfect  Spanish  beauty " 

"  I  know  of  her,"  I  interposed,  having  no  wish  to 
hear  his  comments.  "Her  guardian,  Madame  Chan- 
sette,  and  my  father  are  old  acquaintances." 

"  Oh,  well,  keep  your  coat  buttoned  up  and  well 
padded  on  the  left  side  with  non-conducting  substance 
when  you  come  under  the  fire  of  the  brightest  eyes  in 
Madrid.  And  keep  your  own  eyes  open,  too,"  he  said, 
with  a  glance  and  a  laugh. 

I  did  not  think  it  necessary  to  tell  him  how  nearly 
his  words  touched  me,  and  I  am  glad  to  say  my  looks 
kept  the  secret  as  closely  as  my  lips.  But  I  thought 


40    SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

with  a  smile  of  his  caution  when  I  started  a  little  later 
for  Madame  Chansette's  house,  and  found  my  heart 
beating  much  faster  than  was  at  all  usual  or  necessary. 

I  was  conscious  of  a  little  disappointment  when  I 
found  Madame  Chansette  alone,  and  even  the  warmth 
of  her  very  cordial  welcome  did  not  make  amends. 

"  I  am  so  glad  you  have  come  to  Madrid,  Mr. 
Carbonnell.  I  am  in  such  need  of  advice  and  assist- 
ance ;  and  Lord  Glisfoyle  writes  me  that  you  know 
everything." 

"  He  told  me  something  before  I  left  London,  but 
his  chief  instructions  were  that  I  should  endeavour  to 
find  out  precisely  the  position  of  things  here,  and  then 
report  to  him,  with  any  suggestions  that  might  occur  to 
us." 

"  We  sadly  want  a  man's  capable  head  in  our  affairs," 
she  said,  weakly.  "  I  am  really  dreadfully  afraid  at 
times." 

"  My  strange  experience  of  last  night  has  told  me 
something  ;  would  it  be  well  for  you,  do  you  think,  to 
say  quite  freely,  what  you  fear,  what  troubles  you,  and 
what  you  think  should  be  done  ?" 

"  I  don't  understand  that  affair  last  night  at  all.  It 
distressed  and  frightened  me  so  ;  but  there  are  so  many 
things  I  don't  understand.  What  I  wish  is  for  Sarita 
to  go  away  with  me,  either  to  Paris  or  England.  She 
is  getting  so  involved  here.  She  is  a  dreadful  Carlist, 
as  I  suppose  you  know  ;  and  believes  she  can  play  a 
great  part  in  the  political  affairs  of  the  nation.  As  if 
that  were  possible  in  a  country  like  Spain.  How  it 
will  end  I  am  afraid  to  think.  But  we  shall  all  be 
ruined  ;  "  and  she  sighed  and  tossed  up  her  hands  with 
a  gesture  of  despair. 


SARITA    CASTELAR        41 

"  But  women  are  not  taken  very  seriously  in  politics 
here,  are  they  ?"  I  asked. 

"  This  is  not  politics,  Mr.  Carbonnell  ;  it  is  con- 
spiracy. The  child  worries  her  pretty  head  from  morn- 
ing to  night,  from  one  week  to  another,  with  all  sorts 
of  plots  and  plannings — I  don't  know  a  quarter  of  them 
— and  Heaven  be  thanked  I  don't,  or  I  should  be  in 
my  grave.  And  then  there's  her  brother.  You  know 
Ramon  is  really  dangerous,  and  does  awful  things.  I 
wouldn't  have  him  here — but  then,  thank  Heaven,  he 
daren't  show  his  face  in  Madrid.  As  if  he,  a  young 
fellow,  little  more  than  a  boy,  silly*enough  to  commit 
himself  so  deeply  with  the  Carlists  that  he  is  actually 
compelled  to  keep  in  hiding,  and  fly  about  from  place 
to  place,  always  dodging  the  police  and  the  soldiers, 
could  hope  to  fight  successfully  with  a  powerful  man 
like  my  nephew,  Sebastian  Quesada.  I  tell  them  both 
— at  least,  I  tell  Sarita,  and  I  suppose  she  manages  to 
communicate  somehow  with  Ramon,  for  really  she  does 
some  wonderful  things — I  tell  them  both  they  had 
much  better  give  up  all  thought  of  trying  to  get  back 
their  fortune.  He'll  never  give  up  a  peseta.  I  sup- 
pose I  know  my  own  brother's  child's  nature.  I'm  a 
Quesada — you  know  that,  I  think — and  I  tell  them  that 
they  might  as  soon  expect  to  be  King  and  Queen  of 
Spain  as  to  make  Sebastian  disgorge  what  he  has  once 
got  hold  of.  Besides,  there  is  no  need.  I  have  plenty 
for  them  both  ;  and  who  should  have  it,  if  not  my  dear 
sister's  children  ?  At  least,  Ramon  must  really  behave 
better  if  he  wishes  to  regain  my  favour." 

Madame  Chansette  was  as  voluble  as  she  was  incon- 
sequential, and  it  was  not  until  I  questioned  her  closely 
that  I  could  get  any  grasp  of  the  case,  She  talked  to 


42    SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

me  at  great  length,  apparently  much  relieved  to  have 
someone  into  whose  ear  she  could  pour  the  tale  of  her 
troubles,  and  on  whom  she  thought  she  could  lean  for 
support  in  them. 

I  could  get  few  definite  facts.  Madame  Chansette 
told  me,  as  my  father  had  done,  that  Ramon  had  been 
intended  by  his  family  for  the  priesthood,  but  had 
broken  his  vows,  and  had  plunged  into  a  life  of  dissipa- 
tion, and  had  attempted  to  get  a  reckoning  with  Sebas- 
tian Quesada  and  recover  his  and  Sarita's  fortune.  He 
was  a  wild,  passionate  lad,  no  match  for  Quesada  in  any 
respect,  and  had  been  driven  by  his  passion  to  make 
two  attempts  on  his  enemy's  life.  As  a  result  he  had 
been  proscribed,  and  had  to  live  in  hiding.  He  had 
then  become  a  Carlist  of  the  most  violent  kind,  a  veri- 
table firebrand  ;  moving  from  place  to  place  under 
assumed  names,  and  stirring  up  rebellion  in  all  direc- 
tions. He  had  also  drawn  his  sister  into  his  schemes, 
and  she  had  so  compromised  herself  that  Madame 
Chansette  had  written  in  the  last  extremity  to  my 
father  to  beg  him  to  intervene. 

"  There  must  be  some  man's  capable  head  in  the 
matter,  or  we  shall  all  be  ruined,"  she  exclaimed  dis- 
mally five  or  six  times  ;  although  what  the  "  man's 
capable  head  "  was  to  do  to  restrain  the  very  wilful 
beauty  was  not  clear.  Madame  Chansette,  as  it  seemed 
to  me,  meant  that  she  was  tired  of  the  sole  responsibil- 
ity, and  wished  to  share  it  with  someone  who  could  be 
blamed  if  matters  went  wrong. 

"  The  position  is  a  very  difficult  one,"  I  admitted. 

"  Of  course,  I  told  her  you  were  coming  ;  that  Lord 
Glisfoyle  was  as  much  her  guardian  as  anyone,  and 
that,  as  you  were  representing  him,  you  would  have 


SARITA   CASTELAR        43 

authority  yourself.  You  do  agree  with  me,  don't  you, 
that  she  ought  to  give  up  this — this  dangerous  mis- 
chief, and  just  try  to  play  a  woman's  legitimate  part 
and  get  married  ?  Of  course,  if  you  don't  think  that, 
your  coming  will  only  make  matters  worse  than  they 
were  before  ;  but  I'm  sure  you  will.  You  must  have 
seen  for  yourself  in  that  affair  last  night,  whatever  the 
meaning  of  it  all  was,  how  dangerous  this  conduct  is, 
and  how  sure  to  lead  to  mischief." 

"  Have  you  told  Sarita  that  you  yourself  would  leave 
Madrid  if  she  did  not  do  as  you  wish  ?" 

"  My  dear  Mr.  Carbonnell,  how  could  I  ?  "  cried  the 
dear,  weak  old  lady,  apparently  aghast  at  the  notion. 
"  How  could  I  possibly  leave  the  sweet  child  here 
alone  ?  What  would  she  do  without  me  ?  Besides, 
how  could  I  ?  Why,  she  rules  me  just  as  she  rules 
everyone  else  who  comes  in  contact  with  her.  She 
wouldn't  let  me  go ; "  and  she  smiled  so  sweetly  and 
feebly — "  and  I  love  her  so.  No  one  can  help  it.  1C 
would  kill  me  to  leave  her." 

As  this  was  somewhat  difficult  of  reply,  I  said 
nothing  ;  and  after  a  few  seconds  she  glanced  at  her 
watch  and  exclaimed — 

"  Oh,  dear,  my  time  is  all  but  up,  and  I  fear  I  have 
got  so  little  way  with  you."  Seeing  my  perplexed  ex- 
pression, she  laughed,  and  added  :  "Of  course,  my 
seeing  you  alone  first  is  Sarita's  arrangement.  She 
does  the  drollest  things.  She  declared  that  she  would 
give  me  every  chance  of  persuading  you  to  side  with 
me,  and  that  she  would  not  say  a  word  of  any  kind  to 
you  to  influence  you  until  you  and  I  had  had  an  hour's 
private  conference.  And  now,  what  will  you  do,  Mr. 
Carbonnell  ?  "  and  she  put  her  white,  thin  hand  on  my 
arm,  and  looked  quite  eagerly  into  my  face, 


44    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"  I  will  promise  to  serve  you  to  my  utmost,  Madame 
Chansette,"  I  said. 

"  Spoken  like  an  Englishman  and  a  diplomatist," 
exclaimed  the  voice  that  had  so  thrilled  me  on  the 
preceding  night  ;  and,  turning,  I  saw  Sarita  had  entered 
the  room  unperceived.  "  You  would  make  poor  con- 
spirators, you  two,  for  you've  been  plotting  against  me 
with  an  open  door,"  she  added,  coming  forward. 

She  looked  even  more  lovely  than  on  the  previous 
night,  and  she  gave  me  as  warm  a  welcome  as  had 
Madame  Chansette — put  both  her  hands  into  mine  and 
held  them,  without  a  touch  of  self-consciousness,  as 
she  gazed  frankly  and  searchingly  into  my  eyes.  She 
appeared  satisfied  with  a  scrutiny  that  was  rather  em- 
barrassing to  me,  and  smiled  as  she  withdrew  her 
hands. 

"  Yes,  I  am  glad  you  have  come,  cousin  Ferdinand. 
I  suppose  I  may  call  him  cousin  Ferdinand,  aunt 
Mercedes?  I  don't  know  how  you  do  in  more  formal 
England,  but  we  Spaniards  are  quicker  in  the  use  of  the 
Christian  name,"  she  added  to  me.  "I  wanted  to  look 
closely  at  you.  It  is  a  new  thing  for  me  to  have  a  male 
relation  who  may  be  a  friend — or  an  enemy,  such  as 
my  dearest  aunt  here.  I  have  only  Ramon,  whose 
friendship  is  more  dangerous  at  times  than  another 
man's  enmity  would  be  ;  and  my  other  cousin,  Sebastian 
Quesada."  The  tone  in  which  she  uttered  the  name 
was  intensely  significant.  "  Yes,  yes,  I  am  satisfied. 
I  am  glad  you  have  come.  You  are  true.  You  trusted 
me  instinctively  last  night  ;  and  I  will  trust  you  always. 
My  impressions  are  never  wrong.  But  you  will  not 
find  me  tractable  any  the  more  for  that  ;  I  mean  in 
my  dear,  dear,  dearest  aunt's  sense  of  the  word,"  and 


45 

she  kissed  the  little  old  lady  once  for  each  of  the 
epithets. 

"  I  will  try  to  deserve  your  words  of  welcome, 
cousin  Sarita,"  I  said  earnestly,  but  conscious  of  a 
clogging  tongue. 

"  I  hope  so — for  you  are  one  of  those  men  who 
always  succeed  when  they  really  try.  But  you  have 
already  promised  to  serve  this  dear,  dreadful,  tyran- 
nous, loving  enemy  of  mine.  So  take  care  ;  "  and  she 
laughed  softly  as  she  was  bending  over  Madame  Chan- 
sette  and  settling  her  more  comfortably  in  her  chair. 
"You  are  to  show  that 'capable  man's  head'  which 
aunt  Mercedes  is  never  tired  of  declaring  is  so  much 
needed  in  our  affairs."  She  sat  down  close  to  Madame 
Chansette  and  took  her  hand.  "  I  am  a  sad  rebel,  am 
I  not,  little  tyrant  ?  " 

"  If  I  didn't  love  you  so  much,  I  should  be  a  far  bet- 
ter guide  for  you,  child,"  was  the  simply-spoken  reply. 

"  Aye,  with  a  love  as  sweet  and  tolerant  and  true  as 
a  mother's,"  said  Sarita,  softly.  "  So  sweet  that  it 
makes  even  rebellion  like  mine  difficult  and  hard  at 
times.  You  must  know,  cousin  Ferdinand,  that  we  are 
a  most  divided  pair.  In  all  but  our  love — which  noth- 
ing can  ever  disturb  or  threaten — we  are  like  the  poles, 
so  far  apart  are  our  tastes,  our  principles,  our  ways, 
our  aims,  our  lives,  everything.  You  can  think,  there- 
fore, how  we  have  discussed  you.  At  first  aunt  Mer- 
cedes said  Lord  Glisfoyle  would  come  ;  and  then  I  was 
not  interested.  I  knew  what  a  man  of  his  years  would 
say  to  me  ;  and  there  was  nothing  before  me  but  flat, 
dogged  rebellion.  But  when  we  knew  that  he  was  not 
coming,  and  you  were  to  come  in  his  place — ah,  that 
was  different  indeed.  I  warned  my  dearest  that  her 


46    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

last  hope  was  gone ;  that  youth — even  diplomatic 
youth — would  side  with  youth,  and  that  if  she  looked 
to  you  for  help  in  her  plans,  she  would  be  disappointed. 
We  discussed  you,  analysed  37ou,  weighed  you,  thought 
of  you,  talked  of  you,  and,  I  think,  each  resolved  to 
win  you.  I  did  ;  "  and  she  smiled  frankly. 

"Sarita!"  exclaimed  Madame  Chansette,  protest- 
ingly.  "  You  must  have  mercy  on  Mr.  Carbonnell. 
He  does  not  know  you." 

"  I  will  have  no  mercy  where  he  is  concerned.  You 
would  not  have  me  spare  you  the  truth,  or  hide  how 
much  we  were  interested  in  you  ? "  she  cried  to  me. 
"Why  should  you  not  know  how  much  you  have  been 
in  our  thoughts,  seeing  how  much  you  were  to  influence 
our  lives  ?  I  will  deal  with  you  perfectly  frankly." 

"  I  may  hold  you  to  that  pledge,"  I  interposed. 

"Oh  yes,  I  will  tell  you  everything,  presently.  But 
I  was  so  sure  of  you  that  I  readily  agreed  Aunt  Mer- 
cedes should  have  the  first  interview  with  you  to  poison 
your  ears  and  prejudice  your  judgment  against  me — if 
this  dearest  and  best  of  mothers  to  me  could  prejudice 
anyone  against  me.  And,  you  see,  I  was  right — she 
has  not  succeeded ;  "  and  she  flashed  a  glance  of  chal- 
lenge at  me. 

"  Have  I  already  shown  my  thoughts  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  How  gravely  judicial  and  impartial  you  would  be," 
she  retorted.  "  But  I  can  go  even  farther.  I  can  put 
my  good  aunt's  case  with  greater  force  than  she  would 
put  it,  lam  sure,  and  yet  be  confident.  I  am  a  Carlist; 
I  am  saturated  with  a  love  of  liberty ;  I  am  in  league 
with  many  dangerous  men  ;  I  am  fighting  against  a 
hopelessly  powerful  antagonist  ;  I  am  steering  a  course 
that  aims  at  achieving  ideal  happiness  for  my  country, 


SARITA    CASTELAR        47 

but  much  more  probably  may  achieve  nothing  but  utter 
shipwreck  for  myself  ;  I  have  an  unruly  ambition  ;  I  am 
learning  to  be  a  man  ;  to  think  of,  hope  for,  work  for  the 
objects  of  men  ;  I  am  daring  to  lead  where  I  should 
scarcely  venture  to  follow  ;  I  am  even  mad  enough  to 
take  ideals  to  my  heart  and  to  strive  for  them  ;  and 
this  best  of  women  believes  that  in  daring  to  take  a 
man's  part  I  run  a  risk  of  ceasing  to  be  a  woman.  She 
would  have  me  lay  down  the  task,  break  with  my  ideals, 
leave  my  country  to  those  who  now  misrule  it,  and  fly — 
to  safety.  Do  you  think  I  should  do  this  ?  or  if  I  should 
that  I  shall?" 

"  Before  I  answer  I  will  hear  your  own  side,"  I  said, 
quietly. 

"Ah,  there  spoke  an  Englishman — a  man  with  a 
microscope,  to  examine,  try,  inspect,  measure,  and  com- 
pare this  with  that,  and  that  with  this,  before  you  ven- 
ture an  opinion.  What  a  wonderful  thing  is  English 
discretion.  But  you  shall  hear  it." 

Madame  Chansette  rose  at  that,  and  Sarita  rose 
too,  and  took  her  arm  tenderly  and,  as  it  were,  pro- 
tectingly. 

"  I  will  leave  you.  Sarita  will  speak  freely,  Mr.  Car- 
bonnell ;  but  remember  she  is  steering  for  shipwreck — 
her  own  words." 

They  went  away  together  then,  and  presently  Sarita 
came  back  alone. 

"  You  will  think  ours  a  strange  household  and  a 
stranger  partnership.  But  for  all  our  conventionality 
we  love  each  other  as  if  we  were  mother  and  daughter  ; 
and  I  know  how  much  I  make  that  dear  heart  suffer  at 
times."  She  paused,  and  then  said  :  "  And  so  you  are  the 
real  Ferdinand  Carbonnell.  You  were  surprised  to  find 


48    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

your  name  so  well  known  in  Madrid  ?  To  me  amongst 
others  ?  " 

"  Tell  me  what  that  means,"  I  said. 

"  It  is  your  own  name  used  intentionally,"  was  the 
somewhat  startling  reply. 

"  My  own  name  ?     Used  by  whom  ?  " 

"There  is  no  other  Ferdinand  Carbonnell  in  all  Spain 
than  yourself.  You  are,  as  I  say,  the  real  Ferdinand 
Carbonnell." 

She  looked  at  my  puzzled  face  with  a  half  whimsical, 
half  doubting  expression,  and  then  burst  into  one  of  her 
sweet,  musical,  witching  laughs.  "You  shall  know 
everything,"  she  said. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  EXPLANATION 

SARITA  did  not  speak  for  some  time  but  sat  with 
a  very  thoughtful  look  on  her  face  which  she 
turned  now  and  again  toward  me,  as  though 
some  point  in  her  reverie  had  been  reached  which 
concerned  me  and  made  her  doubtful. 

"Yes,  I  am  sorry,  deeply  sorry,  and  would  undo  it 
if  I  could  !  "  she  exclaimed  at  last,  giving  an  impulsive 
utterance  to  her  thoughts,  and  then  jumping  up  and 
pacing  the  floor. 

"  Sorry  for  what  ? "  I  asked.  "  If  it  concerns  me,  as 
it  seems  to,  pray  do  not  trouble.  I  am  not  of  much 
account." 

"  I  am  sorry  that  we  used  your  name.  Had  I 
known  what  manner  of  man  you  were,  nay,  could 
I  even  have  guessed  you  would  ever  come  to  Madrid,  I 
would  never  have  sanctioned  it." 

"  Suppose  you  tell  me  what  the  thing  means.  I  am 
not  very  quick,  and  I  confess  to  being  very  much 
puzzled." 

"  It  means  that  part  of  what  you  heard  last  night  is 
quite  true.  Ferdinand  Carbonnell  is  a  Carlist  leader — 
a  secret  leader,  you  understand — but  held  for  one  of 
the  most  dangerous,  desperate,  and  capable  of  them 
all.  And  yet  there  is  no  Ferdinand  Carbonnell  in  all 
Spain  but  yourself." 


50  SAR1TA,  THE  CARLIST 

"  I  don't  see  that  that  need  distress  you  of  disturb 
me  very  seriously,  whatever  the  puzzle  may  mean. 
A  name  is  only  a  name,  after  all  But  what  is  this 
puzzle  ?" 

"  Now  that  I  see  you  I  know  that  we  have  wronged 
you,"  she  cried,  vigorously. 

"  The  weight  of  even  that  responsibility  need  not 
prevent  your  speaking  plainly.  Let  me  hear  about  it. 
It's  very  likely  I  shall  enjoy  it  as  much  as  you  have, 
probably,  up  till  now — I  am  not  exactly  like  other 
men  in  all  respects.  I'm  no  stickler  for  convention- 
alities." 

"  Ferdinand  Carbonnell,  the  Carlist  leader,  is  really 
an  embodiment  of  Ramon's  and  my  Carlism.  Let 
me  tell  you  the  truth.  So  long  as  I  have  known 
that  your  father,  Lord  Glisfoyle,  was  my  uncle — and 
Aunt  Mercedes  told  me  some  two  years  ago — I  have 
bitterly  resented  his  conduct  in  ignoring  us,  leaving  us 
to  bear  the  injustice  of  these  Quesadas,  our  other 
relatives,  and  treating  us,  his  brother's  children,  as 
though  we  were  outcasts,  pariahs,  unworthy  of  his 
aristocratic  recognition." 

"You  have  wronged  my  father,  cousin.  I  believe  he 
has  always  held  it  his  business  to  know  that  matters 
were  well  with  you." 

"  Knowing  you  now,  I  can  believe  that.  But  I 
thought  that  some  little  trouble  on  his  part,  for  a  boy 
needs  a  man's  hand,  would  have  made  my  brother's 
life  a  far  better  one.  We  Spaniards,  too,  are  quick  to 
anger — and  do  not  always  stay  to  think.  I  grew  to 
hate  the  names  of  Glisfoyle  and  Carbonnell  ;  and 
when  Ramon's  great  trouble  came,  when  his  wildness 
drove  him  to  seek  Sebastian  Quesada's  life  and  he 


THE   EXPLANATION       5' 

failed,  and  was  proscribed  and  had  to  take  another 
name,  he  and  I  together  chose  yours — Ferdinand 
Carbonnell.  It  was  Spanish  enough  to  pass  for  the 
name  of  a  Spaniard  ;  and  we  took  a  delight — malicious, 
wrong-headed,  unholy  delight  if  you  will — in  building 
up  for  it  a  character  which  would  at  least  shock  the 
prudish  sensibilities  of  a  noble  English  family  should 
they  ever  hear  of  it." 

"  I  understand,  partly  ;  but  still  I  don't  see  that  it 
was  such  a  very  terrible  matter,"  I  added  with  a  smile. 
"  As  I  say,  a  name  is  no  more  than  a  name."  I  was 
anxious  to  lessen  her  very  obvious  concern  ;  and  did  not 
in  reality  take  the  thing  at  all  seriously. 

"  It  came  within  very  little  of  being  terrible,  last 
night,"  she  replied. 

"  I  don't  know  that.  I  had  plenty  of  fight  left  in  me 
even  at  the  ugliest  moment.  And  at  any  rate,  the 
ending  more  than  made  amends  for  the  whole  sus- 
pense." She  made  a  quick  gesture  of  protest.  "But 
what  was  meant  by  the  suggestion  that  your  Ferdinand 
Carbonnell  had  been  guilty  of  treachery  ?" 

"  Wait,  please.  When  we  created  the  mythical  Fer- 
dinand Carbonnell,  it  was  because  there  seemed  no 
room  for  me,  a  girl,  in  the  great  work  of  Carlism  ;  I 
therefore  introduced  a  new  element  into  the  form  of 
agitation.  Instead  of  all  the  leaders  knowing  each 
other  and  interchanging  views  personally  and  openly, 
only  a  few  of  the  leaders  of  the  new  movement  were  to 
know  one  another  ;  there  was  to  be  as  much  secrecy 
as  possible  and  Ferdinand  Carbonnell  was  to  be  the 
mythical  and  yet  terribly  real  centre  of  all.  To  estab- 
lish that  was  our  first  stroke.  Ramon  did  it  under  my 
guidance  ;  going  from  place  to  place,  now  in  one  name 


52    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

now  in  another  ;  but  everywhere  speaking  of,  and  ad- 
vocating the  new  departure,  and  everywhere  preaching 
up  the  greatness  of  the  new  and  secret  leader,  name- 
less to  many,  and  to  the  chosen  few  known  as  Ferdi- 
nand Carbonnell." 

"  Very  mysterious,"  said  I,  not  quite  seriously,  de- 
spite her  earnestness.  "  But  these  men  spoke  of 
interviews  with  people,  of  delegates  to  go  with  me  to 
Paris,  of  lists  of  names  given  to  me,  and  so  on.  As  if 
Ferdinand  Carbonnell  were  anything  but  an  impersonal 
myth." 

"  There  is  something  in  that  I  have  not  probed  ;  but 
it  was  false — a  tissue  of  falsehoods.  Why,  it  would 
make  Ramon  and  me  traitors,"  she  cried  in  a  tone  of 
splendid  repudiation.  I  thought  a  moment. 

"  But  it  was  this  same  treachery  which  set  these  men 
first  to  snare  and  then  threaten  me.  And  I  am  much 
mistaken  if  there  was  not  a  personal  motive  of  hate  at 
the  back  of  this  Colonel  Juan  Livenza's  conduct.  Can 
your  brother  have  used  this  name  anywhere  or  at  any 
time,  and  can  he  and  these  men  have  fallen  foul  of  each 
other  ? " 

To  my  surprise  the  question  loosed  a  full  rich  flood 
of  crimson  colour,  and  the  flush  spread  up  to  the  brow 
until  the  whole  face  glowed  like  a  brilliant  damask 
rose. 

"  You  will  have  to  know  these  matters,"  she  said, 
with  a  touch  of  embarrassment.  "  No,  Ramon  has 
used  the  name  once  or  twice,  but  never  in  that  way. 
These  two  have  never  met  ;  or  he  would  have  known 
last  night,  of  course,  you  were  not  Ramon.  No,  it  is 
this.  Ramon  and  I  meet  very  seldom — though  we  love 
one  another  dearly — and  as  I  am  afraid  on  his  account 


THE    EXPLANATION       53 

to  let  people  know  that  he  is  my  brother,  our  meetings 
have  to  be  secret,  and — might  be  mistaken  for  those  of 
a  different  character." 

"I  see." 

"  I  have  to-day  found  out  that  here  in  our  own  house 
there  has  been  a  spy  ;  spies  here  are  as  plentiful  as 
fools,"  she  cried,  contemptuously.  "  This  was  a  woman 
whom  I  trusted  somewhat,  and  she  carried  news  of  my 
concerns  to  Juan  Livenza.  She  may  have  told  him  of 
my  meetings  with  Ramon  ;  it  is  likely,  for  she  did  not 
know  Ramon  was  my  brother.  She  has  very  possibly 
jumbled  up  some  connection  between  him  and  Ferdi- 
nand Carbonnell  ;  for  Ramon  has  written  to  me  often 
in  that  name,  and  I  to  him,  sometimes.  Then  she 
probably  saw  here  a  reference  to  your  arrival  here  last 
night,  or  she  may  have  heard  Aunt  Mercedes  and  my- 
self discussing  it  ;  and  she  has  carried  the  news  to  her 
employer.  It  is  easy  for  men  in  some  moods  to  see 
facts  in  either  fears  or  hopes." 

"  And  his  mood  was  ?"  At  my  question  and  glance 
her  colour  began  to  mount  again. 

"  He  loves  me."  She  met  my  look  half-defiantly,  her 
eyes  fixed  on  mine  as  if  daring  me  to  utter  a  word  of 
protest.  But  the  next  instant  the  light  died  out,  her 
glance  fell  to  the  ground,  and  she  added  :  "  I  could  win 
him  to  the  cause  in  no  other  way." 

I  had  to  put  a  curb  of  steel  strength  on  myself  to 
prevent  my  feelings  speaking  from  my  eyes,  or  in  my 
gestures  ;  and  in  a  tone  as  cold  and  formal  as  I  could 
make  it,  I  replied — 

"  You  are  not  afraid  to  use  sharp  weapons.  And 
yourself  ?  Do  you  care  ?  I  had  better  know  every- 
thing." 


54    SARITA,   THE    CARLIST 

She  raised  her  head,  flashed  her  eyes  upon  me,  drew 
herself  up,  and  said  with  great  earnestness — 

"  I  have  no  heart  for  anything  but  the  cause."  A 
very  stalwart  champion  she  looked  for  any  cause,  and 
very  lovely. 

"  I  begin  already  to  take  your  aunt's  side  in  the 
matter,  and  to  think  you  will  get  into  too  deep  waters, 
cousin  Sarita."  She  laughed,  easily. 

"  The  deeper  the  water  the  greater  the  buoyancy  for 
those  who  know  how  to  swim.  I  am  not  yet  enough  of 
a  man  to  count  dangers  in  advance." 

"  It  is  not  difficult  to  despise  dangers  one  doesn't  see 
or  credit." 

"  Nor  to  take  a  map  and  write  '  pitfall,'  '  abyss,' 
'  precipice,'  '  dangerous,'  in  blood  colour  at  every  inch 
of  a  road  you  mean  to  travel.  Nor  with  us  Spaniards 
does  that  kind  of  timorous  dread  pass  for  high  and 
prudent  valour."  She  uttered  the  retort  quickly,  almost 
angrily. 

"  I  am  not  a  map-maker  nor  colourer  by  profession," 
I  answered,  slowly,  with  a  smile.  "  But  if  I  were,  I 
confess  I  should  like  to  have  something  more  about  a 
particular  route  than  the  bald  statement  that,  '  This 
road  leads  to — blank  '  or  '  That  to  blazes.'  A  know- 
ledge of  the  country  is  never  amiss,  and  a  tip  at  the  cross- 
roads— and  there  are  plenty  of  them — can  come  in 
mighty  handy."  I  spoke  coolly  and  almost  lazily,  in 
deliberate  contrast  to  her  fire  and  vehemence,  and  when 
I  finished  she  looked  at  me  as  if  in  surprise. 

"  And  you  are  the  same  man  as  last  night  ? "  she 
cried,  wrinkling  her  forehead. 

"  Oh,  that  was  different.  There  are  moments  when 
you  have  a  stiff  bit  of  country  to  negotiate,  and  you 


THE    EXPLANATION       55 

have  to  jam  your  hat  down  over  your  eyes,  shove  your 
heels  into  your  nag's  side,  and  take  it  as  it  comes,  hot 
foot  and  all  hazards  in,  and  get  there.  But  the  pace 
that  wears  for  everyday  work  is  the  jog  trot,  with  a 
wary  eye  even  for  a  rabbit  hole  or  a  rolling  stone." 

"  Give  me  the  reckless  gallop.  I  am  angry  with  you 
when  you  play  at  being  the  man  with  the  microscope. 
I  don't  want  such  a  man  on  my  side — cold,  phlegmatic, 
calculating,  iceful.  I  would  have  a  cousin,  not  a  lawyer. 
I  am  not  a  microscopic  object,  to  be  analysed,  probed, 
peered  at,  and  stuck  on  a  pin  for  the  curious  to  wonder 
at.  I  am  a  woman,  warm  flesh  and  blood,  a  thing  of 
life  and  hopes  and  aspirations,  and  I  want  a  friend,  a 
sympathiser,  a  cousin.  But  a  man  with  a  microscope, 
ah  !  "  and  her  eyes  were  radiant  with  disdain. 

"  You  think  I  would  not — or  could  not — serve  you  ? " 
I  think  my  voice  must  have  said  more  than  my  words, 
for  she  turned  upon  me  swiftly,  her  face  glowing  with 
a  different  light  and  softened  with  a  rarely  seductive 
smile. 

"  Are  you  trying  to  dupe  me  ?  To  hide  your  real 
character?  Are  you  posing  as  a  mere  piece  of  inves- 
tigating diplomatic  machinery?  Oh,  howl  wish  you 
were.  Do  you  know  you  tempt  me  sorely  to  tell  you 
what  I  meant  to  keep  secret  ?  My  eyes  are  not  easily 
blinded,  cousin  Ferdinand  ;  have  a  care,"  and  she 
shook  her  finger  laughingly  at  me,  and  then  sat  down 
near  me,  and  in  a  position  which,  when  I  looked  at  her, 
caused  me  to  face  the  full  light.  Not  a  little  embar- 
rassing, considering  all  things  ;  but  I  controlled  my 
features  carefully.  "  Are  you  really  cold  and  calculat- 
ing and  fireless,  with  just  flashes  of  energy  and  light ; 
or  is  the  fire  always  there,  and  do  you  know  it  and  fear 


56    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

its  effects,  and  stamp  it  down  with  that  resolution  that 
now  sits  on  your  brow  and  sets  your  face  like  a  steel 
mask  ? "  and  she  leaned  forward  and  looked  closely 
at  me. 

"  I  am  full  of  desire  to  help  you  !  "  I  said,  controlling 
my  voice. 

"  Full  of  desire  to  help  me,"  she  echoed,  setting  her 
head  on  one  side  whimsically,  and  pausing.  Then  she 
asked,  seriously,  "  What  would  you  do  to  help  me  ?  " 

"  Surely  that  must  depend  upon  the  case  that  calls 
for  my  help  !  " 

"  What  an  Englishman  you  are  !  If  only  we  Span- 
iards were  like  you,  what  a  nation  we  should  be  !  " 
This  with  a  flash  of  enthusiasm  that  was  all  sincere. 
"  How  long  have  you  known  of  my  existence,  cousin  ? " 
she  cried,  harking  back  to  her  growing  purpose. 

"  A  few  days." 

"  And  were  you  told  I  was  in  deep  trouble  ?  None 
of  your  great,  lordly  house  have  yet  concerned  your- 
selves with  us  !  " 

"  A  proper  rebuke  perhaps,  if  you  have  been  in 
trouble." 

"If?    Is  it  not  so?" 

"  You  don't  wear  the  trappings  of  trouble  ;  this 
house " 

"  How  English  again  !  "  she  burst  in.  "  What  sort 
of  a  coat  does  he  wear  ?  How  does  she  dress  ?  And 
when  you  know  that,  you  judge  the  character  !  " 

"  Not  all  of  us." 

"  You  wish  me  to  think  you  an  exception  ?  " 

"  At  least  my  sympathies  with  you  should  guide  me 
right." 

"That  is  pretty  and  not  unpromising  ;  but  what  was 


THE   EXPLANATION      57 

my  trouble  as  described  to  you  ?  Did  it  stir  your 
sympathies  ?" 

"  I  have  not  yet  a  clear  knowledge  of  all  your 
trouble.  I  wish  to  know." 

"That  you  may  help  me?" 

"  That  I  may  help  you,  if  you  will  let  me." 

"I  believe  you  would,"  she  exclaimed.  "I  almost 
believe  it,  that  is.  Why  is  it  that  while  we  Spaniards 
hate  you  English,  we  can't  help  believing  your  word  ?  " 

"  Hate  is  a  strong  word,"  said  I,  with  a  glance. 

"  It  is  a  strong  feeling,  cousin." 

"  Fortunately  our  relation  is  not  international." 

She  laughed,  softly,  musically,  and  ravishingly. 

"  No,  not  international  in  that  respect." 

"  So  that  we  are  able  to  make  a  treaty  of  alliance," 
I  said. 

"  Offensive  and  defensive  ?  "  she  cried,  quickly,  and 
seemed  to  wait  somewhat  anxiously  for  my  answer. 

"  Defensive  certainly,"  I  replied.  She  gave  an  im- 
patient shrug  of  her  shoulders  and  half  turned  away. 
"  And  offensive — with  limitations,"  I  added.  "  There 
are  limitation  clauses  in  every  treaty  of  alliance." 
She  turned  to  me  again,  and  looked  at  me  long  and 
steadfastly  ;  then  sighed  and  rose. 

"  I  have  never  been  so  tempted  in  my  life,  cousin 
Ferdinand.  But  I  will  not.  No — no  ;  "  another  deep 
sigh.  "  I  dare  not.  But  while  I  am  in  the  mood—- 
for I  am  a  creature  of  moods  and  a  slave  of  them — let 
me  tell  you  what  you  ought  to  know.  I  have  lately 
been  desperate,  and  in  my  desperation  I  planned  to 
draw  you  into  the  snare.  I  needed  you.  I  wished  to 
make  use  of  you.  No,  no,  don't  smile  as  if  the  thing 
were  nothing,  or  as  if  you  were  too  strong,  too  cautious, 


too  level-headed,  too  English,  to  be  caught  even  in  a 
Spanish  snare.  Let  me  finish.  We  need  someone  in 
the  British  Embassy  here  ;  some  friend  to  our  cause, 
who  will  help  us  with  information,  will  form  a  link  be- 
tween us  here  and  our  friends  in  London  ;  and  when 
I  heard  you  were  coming,  I  intended  you  to  fill  that 
rdle.  It  was  wicked,  horribly  wicked,  and  cowardly,  too  ; 
but  for  the  cause  I  would  do  any  crime  and  call  it 
virtue,"  she  exclaimed  vehemently. 

"  And  now  that  you  have  seen  me,  you  don't  think 
I'm  worth  the  trouble  J"  I  asked,  looking  at  her. 

"  I  should  prize  your  help  more  than  ever,"  she  cried, 
with  equal  vehemence  ;  adding  slowly,  "  but  I  will  not 
take  it."  ' 

"  You  would  never  have  had  it  in  the  way  you  planned, 
cousin.  But  for  anything  short  of  that  it  is  yours  at 
any  moment  for  the  mere  asking — aye,  without  the 
seeking,  if  the  chance  comes.  It  is,  however,  Sarita 
my  cousin,  not  Sarita  Castelar  the  Carlist,  that  I  wish 
to  help." 

"  Do  you  think  you  can  draw  a  distinction  ?  No,  no  ; 
a  thousand  noes.  You  cannot  ;  for  I  can  only  strike  at 
Sebastian  Quesada  through  my  Carlism.  If  you  knew 
his  power  and  influence,  and  my  weakness,  as  a  girl, 
you  would  know  that :  one  individual,  unnoticed  girl, 
one  puny  leaf  of  millions  rustling  on  the  twig  to  oppose 
the  tempest  strong  enough  to  strip  the  whole  tree. 
What  is  my  weakness  to  his  power  ?  and  yet — I  will 
beat  him  ;  face  him,  drag  him  down,  aye,  and  triumph, 
and  drag  from  him  that  which  he  holds  in  his  thief's 
clutches,  and  execute  on  him  the  justice  which  the  law 
is  powerless  to  effect." 

"  You  hate  this  man  deeply  ? " 


THE    EXPLANATION       59 

"  Should  a  daughter  love  the  man  who  killed  her 
mother,  or  a  sister  him  who  ruined  her  brother  ? " 

"  You  cannot  fight  against  him.  It  is  impossible. 
This  time  I  am  but  a  few  hours  in  Madrid,  but  I  have 
already  learnt  the  facts  of  his  immense  influence  and 
power." 

"  I  don't  ask  your  help,"  she  said,  wilfully. 

"  That  is  not  generous.  What  I  can  do  to  help  I 
am  ready  to  do.  But  it  is  a  mad  chase."  I  shook  my 
head,  as  if  discouragingly  ;  but,  in  fact,  the  very  diffi- 
culties of  the  matter  appealed  to  me  and  attracted  me. 
I  recalled  Mayhew's  caution  against  crossing  swords 
with  Quesada,  and  the  danger  of  it  was  anything  but 
displeasing.  I  did  not  speak  of  this  to  Sarita,  however. 

"  You  will  not  frighten  me  from  my  purpose,"  she 
said,  with  a  smile  of  self-confidence  ;  "  and  I  will  tell 
you  what  no  one  else  dreams — I  am  certain  to  succeed. 
There  will  always  be  one  door  to  success  open  to  me 
if  I  have  the  courage  to  use  it — and  it  will  need  courage 
— the  courage  of  a  foiled,  desperate  woman.  When  all 
else  has  failed,  that  will  succeed." 

I  looked  the  question,  which  she  answered  in  her 
next  words. 

"  He  has  a  secret  which  I  alone  possess.  The  world 
is  full  of  his  greatness,  his  influence,  his  power,  his 
wealth,  his  judgment,  his  ambition,  his  fame,  and  his 
magnificent  future — but  only  one  soul  on  this  dull  earth 
knows  his  heart." 

"  You  mean "  I  asked,  slowly. 

"  That  to-morrow,  if  I  would,  I  could  be  his  wife. 
That  door  of  revenge  will  never  shut,  for  he  is  that 
rare  thing  among  us  Spaniards,  a  man  of  stable  purpose. 
And  why  should  I  not?"  she  cried,  with  a  swift  turn, 


60    SARITA,   THE    CARLIST 

as  though  I  had  put  her  on  her  defence  ;  and  her  eyes 
shone  and  her  cheeks  glowed.  "Between  him  and  me, 
as  he  himself  has  declared,  it  is  a  duel  to  the  death.  If 
I  will  not  be  his  wife  he  will  crush  me  :  he  has  said  it, 
and  never  has  he  failed  to  carry  out  a  threat.  It  is  true 
that  I  hate  him  :  I  feed  my  rage  on  the  wrongs  he  has 
done  to  us.  But  what  then  ?  If  we  women  may  be  sold 
for  money,  traded  to  swell  the  pride  of  a  millionaire's 
triumph,  may  we  not  sell  ourselves  for  a  stronger 
motive  ?  What  think  you  of  a  marriage  of  hate  ?  A 
marriage  where  the  woman,  with  the  cunning  we  all 
have,  hides  under  the  soft  laughter  of  her  voice,  the 
caressing  sweetness  of  her  glances,  the  smooth  witchery 
of  her  looks  and  simulated  love,  the  intent  to  ruin,  to 
drag  down  the  man  that  has  bought  her,  to  sear  his 
mind  with  the  iron  of  her  own  callousness,  to  watch, 
wait,  mask,  win,  lure,  cheat  and  scheme,  until  the 
moment  comes  when  the  truth  can  be  told  and  the 
hour  of  her  revenge  strikes." 

"  It  is  a  duel  in  which  even  then  you  would  be 
worsted  ;  and  if  you  ask  my  opinion  of  the  scheme,  I 
think  it  loathsome."  There  was  no  lack  of  energy  in 
my  tone  now.  I  spoke  hotly,  for  the  idea  of  her  mar- 
riage with  Quesada  was  hateful.  She  changed  in  an 
instant,  dropped  the  curt  vehemence  of  manner  and 
smiled  at  my  quick  protest. 

"  Yet  the  world  would  see  in  it  a  dramatically  apt 
ending  to  a  serious  family  feud." 

"  The  world  will  see  right  in  whatever  he  chooses  to 
do  at  present.  But  while  you  hold  that  project  in  con- 
templation, I  cannot  help  you,"  I  said,  and  rose  as  if  to 

go. 

"  As  you  will,"  she  answered  coldly,  and  turned  away 


THE    EXPLANATION       61 

to  look  out  of  the  window.  For  a  full  minute  she  re- 
mained silent,  and  then,  turning  back  quickly,  keeping 
my  face  to  the  light,  she  placed  her  hands  upon  my 
shoulders  and  searched  my  face  with  a  look  that  seemed 
to  kindle  fire  in  the  very  recesses  of  my  soul,  as  she 
asked  in  a  tone  that  thrilled  me  :  "  And  if  to  gain  your 
help  I  abandon  it,  will  you  help  me  ? " 

"Yes,  with  every  power  I  possess,"  I  cried  earnestly, 
gazing  down  into  her  eyes.  "  On  my  honour  as  an 
Englishman." 

She  did  not  take  her  hands  away,  and  let  her  eyes 
linger  on  my  face  till  I  could  feel  the  colour  of  delight 
creeping  up  to  my  cheeks,  and  could  scarce  hold  myself 
steady  under  the  magnetism  of  her  touch  and  glance. 
It  was  not  in  human  nature  to  bear  unmoved  such  an 
ordeal  ;  and  I  think  she  divined  something  of  the  strug- 
gle within  me. 

"You  give  me  your  word  of  honour  voluntarily.  I 
know  what  that  means  to  an  Englishman." 

"  I  give  you  my  word  of  honour,  cousin  Sarita,"  I 
answered  firmly  and  earnestly,  feeling  at  the  moment  I 
could  have  laid  down  my  life  for  her.  But  the  next 
moment  with  a  slight  push  she  seemed  as  if  to  thrust 
me  and  my  offer  away  from  her.  She  moved  back  and 
shook  her  head. 

"  No.  I  will  not  take  your  word,"  she  cried.  "You 
would  go  away  and  would  grow  cool  and  reflect,  and 
say — '  I  am  sorry.  I  was  rash.  My  English  prudence 
was  smothered.  I  am  sorry.'  I  do  not  want  this.  I 
would  have  your  help — Heaven  knows  how  sadly  and 
how  sorely  I  need  help  ;  true,  sincere,  honest,  manly* 
and  unselfish,  such  as  I  know  yours  would  be  ;  and  how 
I  would  cherish  it.  But  no,  no,  no,  a  hundred  noes. 


62    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

There  shall  be  one  man  at  least  able  to  say — '  Sarita 
has  always  been  candid  to  me.'  If  you  came  to  me,  I 
should  whelm  you  surely  in  the  flood  of  my  Carlism  ; 
and  I  should  drag  you  down  and  ruin  you.  I  meant  to 
do  it — I  told  you  so  ;  and  to  you  I  will  be  candid,  I 
needed  you,  not  for  yourself — I  did  not  know  you  then; 
I  had  not  seen  you,  and  it  was  for  the  cause  that  to 
me  is  the  breath  of  life.  But  I  release  you.  Go  now. 
I  have  seen  you — I  know  you.  You  are  true — aye, 
cousin,  as  true  a  man,  I  believe,  as  a  friendless,  often 
desperate  woman  might  long  to  have  for  a  comrade  ; 
but  no,  no,  I  cannot,  I  cannot  !  "  she  cried  wildly  and 
half  incoherently,  her  arms  moving  with  gestures  of 
uncertainty.  She  covered  her  face  and  as  quickly  un- 
covered it  and  smiled. 

"  You  will  think  me  a  strange  rhapsodist.  But  when 
you  offered  to  help  me — ah,  you  can't  think  how 
tempted  I  was.  I  have  resisted  it,  however  ;  "  and  she 
smiled  again  and  almost  instantly  sighed  deeply.  "  You 
have  come  too  soon — or  too  late." 

"  Too  soon  or  too  late  ?  I  would  do  anything  in  the 
world  for  you,  Sarita,"  I  exclaimed,  scarcely  less  deeply 
moved  than  she  herself. 

"  You  are  too  soon  for  me  to  be  callous  enough  to 
make  use  of  you  ;  I  am  not  yet  desperate  enough. 
And  too  late  to  save  me  from  myself.  But  I  shall  see 
you  again  when  the  hour  of  temptation  is  not  so  sweetly 
near  ;"  and  with  that,  showing  many  signs  of  feeling, 
she  hurried  from  the  room. 


CHAPTER    VI 
"COUNTING  ALL  RENEGADES  LOVERS  OF  SATAN  " 

THE  interview  with  Sarita  excited  me  greatly,  and 
I  was  too  much  engrossed  by  the  thoughts  of 
it  to  be  able  to  bear  with  equanimity  a  second 
edition  of  Madame  Chansette  ;  so  that  when  that  dear 
and  most  amiable  of  women  came  to  me,  I  pleaded  an 
engagement  and  left  the  house. 

As  I  passed  through  the  hall  there  was  a  trifling  in- 
cident, to  which  at  the  moment  I  paid  very  little  heed. 
A  couple  of  men  were  standing  in  whispered  conference 
by  the  door  and  did  not  notice  my  approach  until  the 
servant  made  them  aware  of  it.  Then  they  drew  aside, 
one  with  the  deference  of  a  superior  servant,  the  other 
with  a  quite  different  air.  He  looked  at  me  very  keenly 
and  apparently  with  profound  interest,  then  drew  aside 
with  a  very  elaborate  bow  and  exclaimed  : 

"  Senor,  it  is  an  honour." 

This  drew  my  attention  to  him,  and  I  set  him  down 
for  an  eccentric  and  gave  him  a  salute  as  well  as  a 
pretty  sharp  look.  He  was  a  long-visaged,  sharp-eyed, 
high-strung  individual,  moderately  well-dressed,  the 
most  noticeable  feature  in  my  eyes  being  the  exagger- 
ated courtesy,  not  to  say  obsequiousness,  of  his  manner 
toward  me.  I  dismissed  the  matter  with  a  smile,  how- 
ever, and  went  back  to  my  thoughts  of  Sarita  and  her 
affairs. 


64    SARITA,    THE   CARLIST 

I  walked  back  slowly  to  my  hotel  revolving  them, 
and  while  I  was  standing  in  the  hall  a  few  moments, 
was  surprised  to  see  the  man  I  had  noticed  at  Madame 
Chansette's  house  walk  past  the  hotel  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  street.  For  a  moment  this  annoyed  me.  It 
looked  uncommonly  as  if  he  had  followed  me,  and 
although  I  tried  to  laugh  at  the  incident  as  a  mere 
absurdity,  or  coincidence,  or  at  worst  a  result  of  the 
fellow's  eccentricity,  I  was  not  entirely  successful; 
and  now  and  again  during  the  rest  of  the  day  it 
recurred  to  me,  to  start  always  an  unpleasant  series  of 
conjectures. 

The  truth  was,  Sarita's  involvement  with  these  con- 
founded Carlists,  the  extraordinary  connection  between 
her  and  the  man  who  had  prepared  that  welcome  for 
me  to  Madrid,  and  the  conviction  fast  settling  down 
upon  me  that  she  was  rushing  full  steam  and  all  sails 
set  on  the  rocks,  had  got  on  my  nerves  ;  and  I  was 
quite  disposed  to  believe  the  fellow  had  followed  me 
intentionally,  and  that  the  episode  was  a  part  of  that 
spyism  she  had  declared  so  prevalent. 

In  the  evening  Mayhew  dined  with  me,  and  after 
dinner  I  took  possession  of  some  rooms  he  had  found 
for  me  in  the  Calle  Mayor  ;  and  the  bustle  of  getting 
my  things  in  order  and  the  chatter  with  him  served  to 
relieve  the  strain  of  my  thoughts.  But  he  was  quick 
enough  to  see  something  was  amiss  with  me  and 
would  have  questioned  me  had  I  given  him  the  slight- 
est encouragement. 

The  next  morning  brought  another  disquieting  inci- 
dent. I  walked  to  the  Embassy,  and  Mayhew  joined 
me  on  the  Plaza  Mutor  and  we  went  on  together. 
As  we  stood  in  the  doorway  the  spy — as  in  my  thoughts 


LOVERS    OF    SATAN        65 

I  had  begun  to  term  him — passed  the  end  of  the  build- 
ing, paused  a  moment  to  look  in  my  direction,  and 
then  went  on. 

"What  is  it,  Carbonnell?"  asked  Mayhew,  seeing 
me  start. 

"  Nothing,  old  man  ;  at  least  nothing  yet ;  if  it  turns 
into  something,  I'll  speak  to  you  about  it,"  and  not 
wishing  him  to  have  any  clue  I  wheeled  about  and 
went  in. 

Then  I  found  something  else  to  think  about.  There 
was  a  letter  from  my  father  with  very  grave  news 
about  his  health.  After  a  preamble  on  general  matters, 
he  wrote : — 

"And  now,  my  dear  son,  there  is  something  you 
must  know.  I  have  for  some  time  past  had  serious 
apprehensions  about  my  health,  and  some  months  ago 
consulted  the  great  heart  specialist,  Dr.  Calvert, 
about  it.  He  put  me  off  with  vague  assurances  at  the 
time,  saying  he  must  study  the  case  ;  but  I  have  suc- 
ceeded to-day  in  getting  him  to  tell  me  the  truth. 
As  I  explained  to  him,  a  man  in  my  position  is  not  like 
ordinary  folk  ;  he  must  know  things  and  be  prepared. 
The  great  responsibility  of  a  peerage  requires  that  its 
affairs  should  not  be  jeopardised  or  involved  by  any 
surprise  such  as  sudden  death  ;  and  I  should  be  a 
coward  if  I  could  be  so  untrue  to  my  order  as  to  leave 
matters  unsettled  out  of  a  paltry  fear  of  facing  the 
truth.  I  hope  none  of  us  Carbonnells  will  ever  be 
such  poltroons.  The  truth  is,  it  seems,  that  my  death 
may  happen  at  any  moment.  For  myself  I  hope  I 
should  never  share  so  vulgar  a  sentiment  as  the  fear 
of  death,  and  I  let  Dr.  Calvert  see  I  was  really  aston- 


66    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

ished  that  he  should  have  thought  a  man  of  my  order 
and  position  would  be  so  untrue  to  the  instincts  of  his 
breeding — to  say  nothing  of  religion. 

"  Well,  that  is  the  verdict ;  and  now  for  its  effect 
upon  you.  I  am  chiefly  concerned  for  you  and  Mercy  ; 
because  Lascelles  must  have  every  pound  that  can  be 
spared  to  maintain  the  position  which  the  title  imposes. 
Mercy  has  from  her  mother  about  three  hundred 
pounds  a  year,  and  this  will  maintain  her  should  she 
be  so  unfortunate  as  not  to  marry.  For  her  I  can  do 
no  more,  and  for  you  can,  unfortunately,  do  nothing. 
The  utmost  that  I  dare  leave  away  from  the  title  is 
one  thousand  pounds ;  and  this  I  have  left  you  in  the 
fresh  will  I  have  made  to-day.  I  have  no  doubt  that 
Lascelles,  if  he  marries  well,  as  I  hope  he  will,  will 
always  assist  you ;  but  you  have  now  the  chance  of 
helping  yourself — your  foot  is  upon  the  ladder — and  I 
am  very  glad  that  our  recent  exertions,  though  prompted 
by  no  thought  of  what  we  know  now  about  my  health, 
have  resulted  in  your  getting  such  a  start.  You  have 
abilities  of  your  own,  and  I  urge  you  to  use  them  to 
the  best  advantage  in  your  present  sphere,  and  I  pray 
God  to  bless  you.  While  I  live  of  course  your  present 
allowance  will  continue. 

"  Then,  lastly,  as  to  the  Castelars.  Tell  Madame 
Chansette  what  I  have  told  you  about  my  health,  and 
say  that  I  can  do  positively  and  absolutely  nothing  for 
them.  But  if  you  yourself  can  do  anything,  do  it  by 
all  means.  If  you  can  spare  me  any  particulars,  how- 
ever, do  so.  I  do  not  shirk  my  duties  as  head  of  my 
house  ;  I  hope  I  never  shall  shirk  them  ;  but  the  fewer 
anxieties  I  have  now  the  better — so,  at  least,  says  Dr. 
Calvert, 


LOVERS    OF    SATAN        67 

"  Ours  has  been  a  life  of  many  and  long  periods  of 
separation,  Ferdinand,  but  you  have  been  a  dear  son  to 
me,  and  one  of  my  few  sorrows  is,  that  I  cannot  better 
provide  for  you." 

The  letter  moved  me  considerably.  My  father  and  I 
had  never  been  very  closely  associated,  but  there  was 
a  genuine  affection  between  us  ;  and  the  courage  with 
which  he  faced  the  inevitable,  though  so  characteris- 
tically expressed,  appealed  to  me  strongly.  I  did  not 
resent  my  virtual  disinheritance.  The  lot  of  the 
younger  son  had  never  galled  me  much,  and  I  was 
enough  of  a  Carbonnell  to  admit  the  reasoning  and  to 
recognise  that  such  money  as  there  was  must  go  to 
keep  up  the  peerage.  But  I  did  not  delude  myself  with 
any  sparkling  visions  of  what  Lascelles  would  do  for 
me  if  he  married  well  ;  and  I  perceived  quite  plainly 
that  now,  indeed,  my  future  lay  in  my  own  hands  only, 
and  that  it  would  be  only  and  solely  such  as  I  could 
make  it. 

In  one  respect  solely  did  this  thought  sting  me.  It 
was  a  barrier  between  Sarita  and  me.  I  must  marry 
for  money  or  not  at  all,  for  the  plain  bed  rock  reason 
that  I  had  not,  and  probably  never  should  have,  money 
to  support  a  wife. 

More  than  that,  the  letter  doomed  me  to  a  continu- 
ance of  my  present  career.  I  should  be  dependent 
upon  it  always  for  mere  existence  money  ;  and  this 
meant  that  I  must  make  it  the  serious  purpose  of 
life,  and  not  merely  a  means  for  extracting  as  much 
pleasure  as  possible  out  of  the  place  where  I  might 
chance  to  be  posted.  This  made  me  grave  enough  for 
a  time,  for  I  knew  of  a  dozen  men  with  more  brains 


68     SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

than  I  possessed,  as  qualified  for  the  work  as  I  was 
ignorant,  and  as  painstaking  as  I  was  the  reverse,  who 
had  toiled  hard  and  religiously  for  many  years  to 
acquire  just  enough  income  to  enable  them  to  know 
how  many  of  the  good  things  of  life  they  had  to  do 
without. 

But  Nature  had  kindly  left  out  the  worry  lobe  from 
my  brain,  and  I  soon  held  lightly  enough  the  news  as 
it  affected  my  own  pecuniary  prospects.  I  took  more 
interest  in  my  work  that  day  than  I  should  otherwise 
have  taken,  I  think,  and  found  it  very  irksome.  I 
wrote  to  my  father,  and  then  went  off  to  my  rooms 
with  a  complete  present  irresponsibility  and  a  feeling 
of  thankfulness  that  I  had  always  been  a  comparatively 
poor  man,  and  that  I  should  be  a  big  fool  if  I  were  to 
add  the  wretchedness  of  worry  to  the  sufficient  burden 
of  .comparative  poverty. 

I  was  whistling  vigorously  as  I  opened  my  door  and 
stopped,  with  the  handle  in  my  fingers^  in  sheer 
surprise,  at  seeing  in  possession  of  my  rooms  the  man 
whom  I  believed  to  be  a  spy.  He  was  sitting  reading 
as  he  waited,  and  on  seeing  me  he  rose  and  made  me 
one  of  his  ceremonious  bows. 

"Who  are  you,  and  what  do  you  want  here?" 
I  asked  in  none  too  gracious  a  tone,  as  I  frowned  at 
him. 

"  Senor  Ferdinand  Carbonnell — you  are  Ferdinand 
Carbonnell?" — he  repeated  the  name  with  a  kind  of 
relish — "  I  could  not  resist  coming.  I  could  not  resist 
the  desire  to  speak  to  you,  to  stand  face  to  face  with 
you,  to  take  your  hand.  I  have  done  wrong,  I  know ; 
but  I  shall  throw  myself  on  your  mercy.  I  am  leaving 
again  to-night ;  but  I  could  not  go  without  seeing  you.'' 


LOVERS    OF    SATAN        69 

My  former  impression  of  him  seemed  to  be  con- 
firmed. The  man  was  a  lunatic,  or  at  least  an  eccen- 
tric ;  and  a  word  or  two  to  humour  him  would  do  no 
harm. 

"  You  have  been  following  me  ;  may  I  ask  why  ?  " 
I  asked,  in  a  less  abrupt  tone. 

"I  heard  your  name  mentioned  at  the  house  where 
I  saw  you  yesterday.  The  friend  who  mentioned  it 
knew  nothing  ;  but  I  knew  ;  and  when  I  heard  you 
were  in  the  house,  Senor,  do  you  think  I  could  leave 
without  a  sight  of  you  ?  Ah,  Mother  of  God  !  " 

I  was  rolling  myself  a  cigarette  with  a  half  smile 
of  amusement  at  the  man's  eccentricity  when  a  thought 
occurred  to  me.  I  stopped  in  the  act,  and  looked  at 
him  sharply  and  questioningly.  The  thought  had 
changed  my  point  of  view  suddenly,  and  instead  of 
amusement  my  feeling  was  now  one  of  some  uneasi- 
ness. 

"  Just  be  good  enough  to  tell  me  exactly  what 
you  mean  ;  and  be  very  explicit,  if  you  please,"  I  said. 

"  I  am  from  Saragossa,  Senor  Ferdinand  Carbonnell, 
and  my  name  is  Vidal  de  Pelayo,"  he  answered,  in  a 
tone  and  manner  of  intense  significance.  There  was 
purpose,  meaning,  and  pregnant  earnestness  in  the 
answer,  but  no  eccentricity. 

"  I  don't  care  if  you  are  from  Timbuctoo  and  your 
name  is  the  Archangel  Gabriel.  What  do  you  mean  ?" 
I  cried,  testily. 

The  manner  of  his  answer  was  a  further  surprise. 
He  plunged  his  hand  somewhere  into  the  deepest 
recesses  of  his  clothes  and  brought  out  a  small,  folded 
paper,  from  which  he  took  a  slip  of  parchment,  and 
handed  it  to  me  without  a  word. 


70    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"  Vidal  de  Pelayo.     No.  25.  ist  Section.     Saragossa. 
"  Counting   all    renegades   lovers  of   Satan.     By  the 
grace  of  God. 

(Signed)        FERDINAND  CARBONNELL." 

The  signature  was  written  in  a  fine  free  hand  utterly 
unlike  my  own,  of  course  ;  but  there  it  was  confronting 
me,  and  signed  to  a  couple  of  lines  that  read  to  me 
like  so  much  gibberish.  I  turned  it  over  and  handed 
it  back  with  a  laugh  ;  and  my  thoughts  went  back  again 
to  my  first  opinion  of  the  man. 

"  Very  interesting,  no  doubt ;  and  very  important, 
probably,  but  it  does  not  enlighten  me." 

"You  mean  you  do  not  wish  to  know  me?  As  you 
will.  Then  I  suppose  I  must  not  open  my  lips  to  you  ? 
But  I  have  seen  you  ;  and  it  is  a  great  day  for  me." 

"  You  are  right ;  I  wish  you  to  say  nothing,"  I 
replied,  assuming  a  very  grave  look  and  speaking  very 
severely.  "  You  have  done  wrong  to  come  here  at  all," 
I  added,  seeing  the  effect  of  my  previous  words. 
"You  must  not  come  again." 

"  You  will  wish  to  know  that  all  is  going  well  ?  "  he 
said,  in  a  tone  of  remonstrance  and  surprise. 

"  I  have  other  means  of  learning  everything,"  I 
answered,  with  a  suggestion  of  mystery,  and  rose  as  a 
hint  to  him  to  go. 

"You  are  at  the  British  Embassy  here.  It  is 
wonderful,"  he  cried,  lifting  his  hands  as  if  in  profound 
admiration. 

"  Where  I  am  and  what  I  do  concerns  no  one," 
I  returned,  cryptically.  "  We  all  have  our  work. 
Return  to  yours." 

"  I  have  seen  you.     You  will  give  me  your  hand — 


LOVERS    OF    SATAN        71 

the  hand  that  has  put  such  life  into  the  cause.  God's 
blessing  on  you.  'Counting  all  renegades  lovers  of 
Satan.  By  the  grace  of  God.' "  He  uttered  the  formula 
with  all  the  air  of  a  devout  enthusiast ;  and  I  gazed  at 
him,  keeping  a  stern  set  expression  on  my  face  the 
while,  and  wondering  what  on  earth  he  meant  by  the 
jargon.  "  And  you  are  indeed  Ferdinand  Carbonnell  ?  " 
he  said  again,  fixing  his  glowing  eyes  on  me  as  he 
held  my  hand. 

"  I  am  Ferdinand  Carbonnell,"  I  assented,  nodding 
my  head  and  wishing  he  would  go. 

"  I  have  made  the  arrangements  required  of  me. 
When  the  little  guest  arrives  he  will  be  in  safe  and 
absolutely  secret  keeping." 

"  What  little  guest  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Yes,  indeed,  what  little  guest  ?  For  what  is  he 
now  but  a  guest  and  a  usurper,  like  a  pilfering 
cuckoo  in  the  eagle's  eyrie  ?  Why  has  it  never  been 
done  before  ?  Why  left  to  you  to  propose  ?  But  it  will 
change  everything — a  magnificent  stroke,"  and  his  voice 
trembled  with  earnestness  and,  as  it  struck  me  now, 
with  deep  sincerity. 

Was  he  after  all  no  more  than  a  madman  ?  In  a 
moment  I  ran  rapidly  over  the  facts  as  I  knew  them, 
and  a  suspicion  darted  into  my  mind.  I  resolved  to 
probe  further. 

"  Sit  down  again,  senor.  I  have  thought  of  some- 
thing," I  said,  and  placed  wine  and  tobacco  before  him. 
We  rolled  our  cigarettes  and  lighted  them  ;  and  all  the 
time  I  was  casting  about  for  the  best  method  of  pump- 
ing him  without  betraying  myself.  "  It  may,  after  all, 
be  more  convenient  for  you  to  tell  me  how  matters 
stand.  What  precisely  have  you  done  in  that  matter  ? 


72     SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

Assume  that  I  know  nothing,"  I  said,  with  a  wave  of 
the  hand. 

He  was  seemingly  flattered  by  the  request,  and 
answered  readily. 

"  I  have  done  my  utmost  to  organise  my  district, 
Of  the  lists  of  names  given  me  there  is  not  one  I  have  not 
sounded,  and  about  whom  I  cannot  say  precisely, '  He  is 
for  us,'  or,  '  He  is  against  us."  I  know  to  a  peseta  what 
funds  would  be  forthcoming  on  demand,  and  what 
reserve  there  would  be  for  emergencies.  There  is  not 
a  rifle,  sword,  or  revolver  that  is  not  scheduled  and 
listed  carefully." 

"  Good.  These  things  are  in  your  reports,"  I  said, 
making  a  shot. 

"  So  far  as  desired  of  me,"  he  answered.  "  The 
totals." 

"  Exactly  !     Well  ?  " 

"  When  the  great  coup  was  devised,  I  was  sounded 
only  as  to  whether  there  was  in  my  district  a  place  so 
safe  and  secret  that  a  little  guest,  a  boy,  could  be  hidden 
there  indefinitely  ;  and  I  know  of  just  such  a  spot  in 
the  mountains  to  the  north  of  Huesca,  where  a  guest, 
little  or  big,  boy  or  man,  can  be  hidden  in  absolute 
secrecy.  And  so  I  reported.  I  know  no  more  ;  but  I 
have  guessed." 

"  It  is  dangerous  to  guess,  Senor  Pelayo,"  I  said, 
with  an  air  of  mystery. 

"  If  I  am  wrong,  so  much  the  worse  for  Spain.  But 
if  the  guest  were  indeed  the  usurper" — and  here  he 
paused  and  searched  my  face  as  if  for  confirmation  of 
his  hazard,  but  he  might  as  well  have  counted  the 
stones  in  a  wall — "  if,  I  say,  then  the  mountain  spot  I 
mean  would  hold  him  as  fast  as  his  officers  would  hold 


LOVERS    OF    SATAN        73 

us  in  his  strongest  prison  had  they  wind  of  this  scheme. 
Do  you  wonder  that  my  blood  burns  with  excitement 
for  the  day  to  dawn  ?  " 

"  You  have  done  your  task  thoroughly,"  I  said,  with 
the  same  air  of  reserve  ;  and  his  face  flushed  with 
pleasure  at  the  praise.  Then  I  added  with  great  stern- 
ness, "  But  now  I  have  a  word  for  you.  You  have 
done  wrong,  very  wrong,  to  breathe  a  word  of  this 
even  to  me.  You  have  been  untrue  to  your  duty.  For 
all  you  could  tell  I  might  be  a  traitor  worming  this 
knowledge  out  of  you  for  evil  purposes.  You  heard 
my  name  by  chance,  you  followed  me  and  found  me 
out,  and  with  scarce  a  word  of  question  from  me  you 
have  tumbled  pell-mell  into  my  lap  secrets  that  should 
have  been  kept  with  the  closeness  of  the  charnel  house. 
Shame  upon  your  gossiping  tongue  and  your  falseness 
to  your  oath.  You  would  have  shown  yourself  worthier 
of  the  trust  we  place  in  you  had  you  set  me  at  defiance, 
and,  when  I  questioned,  refused  even  at  the  dagger's 
point  to  breathe  a  word  of  answer.  From  now  I  shall 
watch  you.  I  will  give  you  another  chance.  Go  back 
to  your  work,  breathe  no  syllable  of  what  has  hap- 
pened here  :  that  you  have  even  seen  or  spoken  to  me  : 
look  on  the  very  walls  of  your  house  and  the  very 
stones  of  the  street  as  listeners,  watchers,  spies,  ready 
to  catch  your  words  and  bring  them  to  me  ;  and  if  you 
value  your  life,  pluck  out  your  tongue  rather  than  let 
it  ever  again  betray  you." 

I  have  seldom  seen  a  man  more  thunderstruck  and 
bewildered.  He  turned  white  to  the  lips  and  trembled 
violently,  and  his  hands  clasped  the  arms  of  his  chair 
for  support,  while  his  eyes,  terror-wide,  appealed  to  me 
with  the  prayer  for  forgiveness  his  quivering  lips  re- 
fused to  utter. 


74    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

I  feared  I  had  overstrung  the  bow  indeed,  and  filling 
a  tumbler  of  wine,  I  handed  it  to  him  and  said,  relaxing 
the  sternness  of  my  looks  : 

"  Do  as  I  bid  you,  and  I  will  at  no  distant  date  send 
you  a  sign  that  you  have  regained  my  confidence  ;  " 
and  with  this  hope  to  counterbalance  his  abject  fear,  I 
dismissed  him. 

Then — shall  I  confess  it  ? — I  did  a  very  boyish  thing. 
Full  of  a  curiosity  to  know  how  I  had  looked  when 
frightening  the  Carlist  so  successfully,  I  postured  and 
mouthed  and  frowned  at  and  rated  myself  before  a 
mirror  much  as  I  had  with  Pelayo,  and  laughed  with 
much  satisfaction  at  what  I  considered  an  excellent 
impersonation. 

"  By  Gad,  old  chap,"  I  exclaimed,  with  a  nod  to  my- 
self in  the  mirror,  "  if  diplomacy  fails,  you'll  do  some- 
thing on  the  stage,  and  what's  more,  I'll  be  hanged  if  I 
didn't  feel  that  I  meant  it  all  the  while  I  was  giving  it 
him." 

And  then  I  became  serious  again. 


CHAPTER  VII 

SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

THERE   was   indeed   plenty  of  food   for  serious 
thought  in  the  interview  with  Vidal  de  Pelayo. 
If   the  man    was  really  one   of  the  provincial 
leaders  of  the  Carlists,  I  had  stumbled  across  the  track 
of  an  intended  attempt  to  abduct  the  young  King,  and 
such   knowledge  could    scarcely  fail  to  place  me  in  a 
particularly  awkward  position  in  regard  to  my  cousin 
Sarita. 

She  would  as  a  matter  of  course  be  cognisant  of  the 
scheme,  while  it  was  more  than  probable  that  it  had 
sprung  from  her  own  nimble  and  daring  wits.  My 
visitor  had  described  it  as  the  proposal  of  Ferdinand 
Carbonnell  ;  Sarita  herself  had  said  that  Ferdinand 
Carbonnell  was  the  compound  of  her  brother's  and  her 
own  Carlism  ;  and  there  was  an  imagination,  a  daring, 
and  a  reckless  disregard  of  risks  in  the  scheme  which 
all  pointed  to  Sarita  as  its  originator. 

But  there  was  also  my  position  as  a  member  of  the 
British  Embassy  staff  to  consider.  If  the  thing  were 
done,  even  if  it  were  attempted  and  failed,  there  would 
be  frantic  excitement  everywhere  ;  Carlists  known  and 
suspected  would  be  flung  into  prison,  and  questioned 
with  that  suggestive  and  forceful  ingenuity  which  was 
generally  successful  in  extracting  information  from  the 


76     SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

unfortunate  prisoners  ;  the  name  of  Ferdinand  Carbon- 
nell  was  sure  to  come  out  ;  and  if  this  Pelayo  himself 
should  chance  to  be  among  the  questioned — not  at  all 
an  improbable  contingency — he  would  go  a  step  fur- 
ther than  anyone  else  and  point  me  .out  to  the  authori- 
ties as  the  actual  head  and  front  of  the  conspiracy. 

That  was  a  very  awkward  position  to  face.  Apart 
from  the  decidedly  unpleasant  results  to  myself  person- 
ally, it  was  very  certain  that  the  consequences  to  the 
British  interests  in  Spain  at  such  a  moment  might  be 
gravely  embarrassing.  It  would  be  argued  with  much 
plausibility  that  the  staff  of  the  Embassy  could  scarcely 
have  failed  to  know  what  was  going  on  ;  and  a  charge 
of  connivance  in  an  abduction  plot  might  fire  a  mine 
that  would  blow  up  Heaven  only  knew  what. 

All  these  things  I  saw  as  I  smoked  a  pipe  of  medita- 
tion in  my  room  that  night  ;  but  I  saw  also  something 
more.  I  was  a  soldier  of  fortune  with  my  way  to 
make.  My  father's  letter  had  shown  me  that  too 
plainly  for  me  to  misread.  What,  then,  would  be  my 
position  if  I  could  use  this  plot,  the  knowledge  of 
which  had  been  thrust  upon  me,  to  my  own  advantage, 
while  at  the  same  moment  saving  Sarita  from  the  re- 
sults of  her  own  wild  scheming  ? 

What  would  be  the  standing  of  the  Englishman  in 
Madrid  who  should  cut  in  at  the  critical  moment  when 
the  young  King  had  been  carried  off,  and  rescue  him 
and  restore  him  to  the  Queen-mother  at  the  instant  of 
her  agonised  bereavement  ?  It  was  a  dizzying  thought, 
and  I  am  free  to  confess  the  prospect  fascinated  me. 
I  sat  turning  it  over  and  over  as  I  smoked  pipe  after 
pipe,  and  the  longer  I  thought  the  brighter  glowed  the 
one  picture — the  position  of  the  man  who  saved  the 


SARITA,    THE    CARLIST    77 

King — and  the  colder  grew  the  other — the  duty  of  in- 
forming the  Embassy  of  what  I  had  learned. 

When  I  knocked  the  ashes  out  of  my  last  pipe  in  the 
hour  of  dawn — for  I  sat  thinking  all  through  the  night 
— I  had  made  my  decision.  I  would  fight  for  my  own 
hand.  So  far  as  Sarita  was  concerned,  I  would  warn 
her  of  what  I  knew,  and  that  the  project  must  be 
abandoned  from  her  side.  If  she  persisted,  then  I 
would  take  my  own  measures  to  save  her. 

In  pursuance  of  this,  I  went  to  Madame  Chansette's 
on  the  following  afternoon  to  see  Sarita.  She  was 
frankly  pleased  to  see  me,  and  after  a  few  minutes  gave 
me  herself  the  opening  I  wished. 

"  I  have  made  up  my  mind  in  regard  to  you,  Ferdi- 
nand." She  used  my  Christian  name  with  the  uncon- 
strained freedom  of  relationship.  "  I  will  not  have 
your  help.  You  shall  not  be  involved  through  me  in 
any  of  these  matters.  If  you  can  prevail  in  your  way 
upon  Sebastian  Quesada  to  give  up  what  he  has  taken 
from  us,  do  so  ;  but  you  shall  not  have  him  for  an 
enemy  on  my  account." 

"  That  is  very  nice  and  commonplace  of  you,  Sarita," 
said  I,  with  a.  smile. 

"  I  was  not  quite  myself  when  you  were  here  yester- 
day. You  surprised  me  out  of  myself.  I  was  excited, 
and  talked  wildly,  and  you  must  forget  it  all." 

"What  a  very  charming  day  it  is.  Did  you  notice 
how  blue  the  sky  was  at  about  ten  o'clock  ?" 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  she  cried,  looking  at  me  in 
quick  surprise. 

"  Are  you  going  to  the  Opera  to-morrow  ?  I  hear 
that  Vestacchia's  ballet  is  wonderfully  good,"  I  con- 
tinued, in  a  dull,  everyday  tone.  "  By  the  way,  I  hear 


78    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

that  the  young  Duke  of  Sempelona  is  likely  to  make  a 
mesalliance" 

"  What  is  all  this  rubbish  ?" 

"  I  thought  we  were  to  be  commonplace,  that's  all. 

I  hear,  too "  but  she  interrupted  me  now  with  a 

burst  of  laughter. 

"  Ridiculous  !  "  she  cried.  "  As  if  you  and  I  need 
talk  of  such  things.  I  tell  you  I  will  not  have  your 
help." 

"  Very  well.  I'll  pack  it  up  and  put  it  away  in  my 
trunks  against  the  day  it  is  needed.  That  is  settled." 

"  So  you  can  be  provoking,  can  you  ?  I  thought  you 
were  a  serious  Englishman,  with  a  good  deal  of  the 
man  in  you." 

"  But  you  don't  want  the  man  ;  and  as  I  can  play 
many  parts,  I  brought  with  me  the  society  dude  in  case 
he  should  be  handy." 

"You  are  angry  because  I  won't  let  you  interfere 
with  my  affairs,  eh  ?  So  you  have  your  pet  little  weak- 
nesses, too." 

"  Why  don't  you  care  to  speak  of  fashionable  mar- 
riages ?  You  mentioned  one  that  was  in  the  making 
when  I  was  here  last." 

"  You  think  it  a  pleasant  subject  for  a  jest?"  she 
cried,  resentfully. 

"  Scarcely  a  fair  hit.  You  have  just  told  me  you 
were  not  yourself  then — and  I  thought  and  hoped  it  had 
been  abandoned,  and  was  to  be  forgotten  like  the  rest 
of  what  you  said." 

To  this  she  made  no  immediate  reply,  but  after  a 
pause,  asked  slowly  and  earnestly — 

"  And  do  you  take  enough  interest  in  my  future  to 
feel  serious  about  such  a  project?" 


SARITA,   THE    CARLIST    79 

"There  would  not  be  much  of  the  man  in  me,  and 
far  less  of  the  cousin,  and  none  of  the  friend,  if  I  did 
not,"  I  returned. 

"  You  have  seen  me  once  and  known  me  three  days." 

"  You  forget  the  first  time  I  saw  you,  Sarita.  I  do 
not.  I  never  shall — and  never  wish  to.  There  are 
some  wounds  that  are  long  in  the  making  ;  others  that 
are  made  in  a  flash:  and  the  latter  may  endure  longer 
than  the  former."  She  threw  a  penetrating  glance  at 
me,  sighed,  and  turned  away  again. 

"  I  wonder  if  you  will  ever  understand  me,"  she  said, 
half  wistfully.  "  I  will  not  have  your  help.  I  have 
told  you." 

"  It  is  already  packed  away — waiting,"  I  returned, 
lightly.  But  the  light  tone  jarred,  and  she  tapped  her 
foot  and  frowned  in  impatient  protest.  I  smiled. 
"  Why  play  at  this  game  of  pretences  ?  "  I  asked.  "  I 
am  going  to  help  you,  whether  you  will  or  no  ;  and  you 
are  going  to  take  my  help,  whether  you  will  or  no. 
And  you  are  going  to  give  up  that — well,  the  need  for 
us  to  talk  about  projected  marriages,  fashionable  or 
otherwise.  You  know  quite  well  that  I  am  just  as 
much  in  earnest  as  you  are  ;  and  already  you  have 
read  me  well  enough  to  be  perfectly  aware  that  having 
made  that  use  of  my  name,  you  have  given  me  the 
opportunity  to  help  you  which  I  shall  not  fail  to  use. 
Why  then  pretend  ?  Let  us  be  frank.  I'll  set  the 
example.  I  have  come  to  tell  you  of  something  that 
you  must  abandon — a  plan  that  originated  with  you  : 
the  part  of  you,  that  is,  that  goes  to  make  up  half  of 
the  mythical  Ferdinand  Carbonnell.  A  plan  that  the 
real  Ferdinand  Carbonnell  will  not  sanction." 

"  You  have  come  to  dictate  to  me,  you  say  ?     You  to 


8o    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

me?"  she  cried,  at  first  half  indignantly,  but  then 
laughing.  "  But  what  is  it  ? "  she  asked,  with  a  change 
to  curiosity. 

"  Tell  me  first  the  answer  to  this  puzzle  phrase,  or 
charade  :  '  Counting  all  renegades  lovers  of  Satan. ' ' 
I  put  the  question  with  a  smile,  but  the  sudden,  intense 
dismay  on  her  face  startled  me. 

"  Where  did  you  hear  that  ? "  she  asked.  "  How 
could  it  come  to  you?  You  must  tell  me.  I  must  know." 

"  Tell  me  first  what  it  means  ;  that  is,  if  it  means 
anything  more  than  a  jingle." 

"You  don't  know?"  and  her  eyes  lighted  quickly. 

"  No,  I  don't  know — but  I  suspect.  Tell  me,  how- 
ever." 

"  What  do  you  suspect  ?  " 

"  To  question  is  scarcely  to  trust,  Sarita.  I  suspect 
that  it  is  some  secret  password  among  you  Carlists." 

"But  how  could  it  come  to  your  ears?"  she  cried, 
anxiously. 

"  Should  not  Ferdinand  Carbonnell  be  trusted  by 
his  followers  ?" 

"  Someone  has  heard  your  name,  has  seen  you  and 
has  mistaken  you — oh,  Ferdinand,  I  might  have  ex- 
pected it,  but  scarcely  yet.  Wait ;  yes,  I  know.  It 
will  have  been  Vidal  de  Pelayo.  He  has  been  here 
from  Saragossa  :  he  may  have  heard  your  name — ah,  I 
see  it  was  he.  And  did  he  come  to  you — where?  Tell 
me  everything."  Her  speech  was  as  rapid  as  her 
deductions  were  quick  and  shrewd. 

"Yes,  it  was  Vidal  de  Pelayo;"  and  I  told  her 
generally  what  had  passed  at  the  interview,  keeping 
back  for  the  moment  that  part  of  it  which  referred  to 
the  abduction  plot.  She  listened  with  rapt  attention, 


SARITA,    THE    CARLIST    81 

viewing  it  much  more  seriously  than  I  did  ;  as  was  not, 
perhaps,  unreasonable.  "And  now,  what  does  that 
absurdly-sounding  phrase  mean  ?  " 

"  You  have  only  half  of  it." 

"  You  mean,  '  By  the  grace  of  God  ; '  but  that  only 
makes  it  all  the  odder." 

"  If  you  take  the  initials  of  the  first  sentence  you 
will  see  the  meaning  of  the  second." 

"  Of  course,  Carlos,  by  the  grace  of  God,"  I  ex- 
claimed. 

"  It  is  a  phrase  that  Spain  will  learn  to  know  one 
day,"  she  said.  "It  will  be  the  watchword  of  the  New 
Liberty,"  and  her  face  lighted  with  enthusiasm. 

"  The  'New  Liberty,'  Sarita  ;  what  do  you  mean  by 
that?" 

"  The  liberty,  the  greatness  that  our  rightful  King 
will  bring  back  to  us.  Where  do  we  stand  now,  but  at 
the  very  bottom  of  the  scale  of  contempt  ?  What  is 
Spain,  but  the  doormat  on  which  every  upstart  country, 
even  this  America,  wipes  her  feet  ?  And  what  were  we 
once — the  leaders  of  the  world  ;  the  possessors  of  half 
the  earth,  rulers  holding  sway  on  sea  as  well  as  land  ? 
Are  we  not  the  same  Spaniards  to-day  as  then  ?  What 
we  did  once  can  we  not  do  again  ?  Aye,  and  Don  Carlos 
will  lift  from  us  the  shame  of  our  sloth,  put  blood  and 
fire  once  more  into  the  veins  of  apathy,  restore  us  to 
our  ancient  standing,  and  once  again  give  us  the 
strength  to  show  the  face  of  pride  to  our  enemies.  Is 
not  that  a  day  for  Spaniards  to  pray  for  ;  and  to  work, 
scheme,  plot,  and  toil  unceasingly  ;  to  shed  our  blood 
for,  if  the  need  demands  it  ?  I  will  give  mine  freely 
and  without  stint ;  "  and  her  face  glowed  like  the  face 
of  a  martyr. 


82    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"  It  is  a  dream,  no  more.  Look  at  your  country- 
men, Sarita,  and  ask  yourself  where  is  to  be  found  the 
power  to  work  this  miracle  ;  where  the  men,  the  re- 
sources, the  brains,  the  energy,  everything  that  is  of  the 
very  essence  of  success  ? " 

"  Do  you  think  we  do  not  know  that  ?  But  it  is  just 
all  that  which  Don  Carlos  will  alter  ?  What  are  we 
now  but  a  people  in  whose  lives  the  very  salt  and  mar- 
row are  withering?  I  know  it;  but  I  know  also  what 
will  stop  the  decay  ;  and  Don  Carlos  will  give  it  us. 
We  must  free  ourselves  from  the  corroding  blight  of 
the  misgovernment  which  those  who  have  usurped  the 
throne  have  forced  on  us  that  they  might  buttress  up 
their  own  wrongful  claims.  While  we  are  weak,  divided, 
torn  by  dissension  and  undone  by  mistrust,  they  can 
continue  to  force  on  us  the  oppression  which  they  mis- 
call government.  They  sap  the  nation's  very  life  that 
they  may  pluck  for  themselves  the  ever-dwindling 
fruits  from  such  branches  as  have  not  yet  been  des- 
troyed. But  do  we  not  know  the  cure  ?  Can  you 
yourself  not  see  it  ?  If  the  forceful  blood  of  true  liberty 
was  once  again  set  flowing  in  the  veins  of  our  nation, 
the  change  would  soon  tell.  You  know,  for  you  are  an 
Englishman.  You  have  the  liberty  denied  to  us,  and 
craved  by  us.  You  and  these  Americans,  who  would 
now  put  this  last  dire  shame  upon  us.  You  are  in- 
creasing, we  are  dwindling.  You  enjoy  the  splendours 
of  the  achievements  of  liberty  ;  we  are  pining  on  the 
undigested  meal  of  past  greatness.  You  are  what  we 
were  once,  the  very  opposite  of  what  we  are  now  ;  and 
what  you  are,  Don  Carlos  would  make  us — aye,  and  by 
the  grace  of  God,  he  shall  yet  do  it  ;  and  if  my  little  life 
can  help  him,  I  shall  not  have  lived  it  in  vain." 


SARITA,    THE    CARLIST    83 

So  absorbing,  so  thrilling  was  her  enthusiasm,  that  I 
did  not  wonder  at  others  yielding  to  her  whirlwind  in- 
fluence. I  sought  to  argue  with  her,  to  show  her  the 
fallacy  of  her  dreams,  to  convince  her  that  Don  Carlos 
at  best  was  merely  struggling  to  get  back  the  throne 
from  anything  but  self-less  motives,  that  the  destiny  of 
a  nation  lay  not  with  the  leadership  of  one  man,  but 
in  the  nature  of  the  people  themselves — but  argument 
broke  itself  in  vain  against  her  passion  and  enthusiasm. 

"  There  is  nothing  before  you  but  disillusion,  Sarita," 
I  said  at  length  ;  "whether  it  comes  in  the  form  of 
failure  to  rouse  your  countrymen — for  men  more  easily 
fit  themselves  with  a  new  skin  than  with  a  new  nature ; 
or  in  the  more  tragic  form  of  passing  success  in  the 
Carlist  movement,  to  be  followed  by  a  knowledge  that 
after  all  your  Don  Carlos  is  no  more  than  a  man,  and  a 
Spaniard." 

"  I  do  not  expect  you  to  see  things  with  my  eyes,"  she 
said  ;  then,  after  a  long  pause,  "  If  I  dream,  well,  I 
dream.  But  I  would  rather  live  a  dreamer  of  dreams, 
and  die  in  striving  to  realise  them,  than  live  and  die  a 
drone  among  drones.  But  I  have  told  you  I  will  not 
have  your  help." 

"  And  I  have  shown  you  that  you  cannot  avoid  it. 
For  good  or  ill,  the  use  of  my  name  before  I  arrived 
has  made  it  inevitable.  You  are  doing  things  in  my 
name,  and  whether  you  wish  it  or  not,  that  fact  brings 
us  together  in  close  association.  What  has  happened 
with  Vidal  de  Pelayo  may  happen  at  any  moment  with 
another  ;  and  how  can  we  escape  the  consequences  ? 
But  I  must  make  terms,  even  with  you.  For  instance, 
you  have  in  the  making  a  plan  to  carry  off  the  young 
King " 


84    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"What  ?"  she  cried,  in  a  tone  of  profound  astonish- 
ment. 

"  Is  it  not  so  ?  " 

"  Did  Pelayo  tell  you  anything  of  the  kind  ?  " 

"  Can  the  followers  of  Ferdinand  Carbonnell  have 
any  secrets  from  him — when  they  find  him  in  the  flesh? 
He  told  me  no  more  than  he  knew — that  he  was  to 
procure  a  safe  place  for  a  little  guest ;  the  rest  is  sur- 
mise ;  but  surmise  made  easy.  And  I  have  come  to 
tell  you  that  the  project  must  be  stopped." 

"  Must  ?  "  she  cried,  angrily. 

"  Must,"  I  answered,  firmly.  "  Stopped  either  by 
you  or  else  go  on  to  be  checkmated  by  me." 

"  That  is  a  word  I  have  never  yet  heard  from  any- 
one," she  exclaimed. 

"  Then  it  is  quite  time  somebody  used  it,"  said  I,  as 
firmly  and  masterfully  as  I  could  make  my  manner. 
"  I  mean  it." 

"  I  will  not  listen  to  you.  I  won't  bear  it,"  and  she 
got  up  and  stared  at  me  with  resentment,  surprise  and 
rebellion  in  every  feature  of  her  face. 

"  I  am  not  going  because  you  are  angry,  Sarita.  I 
care  for  you  far  too  much  to  let  a  passing  mood  like 
that  ruffle  my  purpose.  I  will  not  let  you  commit  this 
crime." 

"  This  is  ridiculous — monstrous  ; "  and  she  tossed 
her  head  disdainfully.  "  You  are  presuming  on  what 
passed  when  you  were  here  yesterday." 

"  I  am  doing  nothing  of  the  kind,  and  only  your 
anger  would  lead  you  to  make  so  unjust  an  accusation. 
What  I  am  doing  is  to  use  some  of  the  privileges  which 
you  have  given  to  Ferdinand  Carbonnell.  I  have  been 
within  an  ace  of  losing  my  life  through  the  use  of  the 


SARITA,   THE    CARLIST    85 

name  ;  I  have  been  recognised  by  one  of  your  chief 
agents  as  the  leader  himself — and  now  I  intend  to  use 
that  leadership  to  save  you  from  the  consequences  of 
your  own  blindness.  A  moment's  reflection  will  con- 
vince you  that  I  am  not  speaking  at  random." 

"You  would  make  me  your  enemy  ?"  she  asked. 

"  It  would  not  be  the  first  time  that  enmity  has  fol- 
lowed acts  which  should  have  generated  sincere  friend- 
ship. Would  the  Ferdinand  Carbonnell  of  your  making 
be  deterred  from  doing  what  he  deemed  right  by  such 
a  motive  ?  No  ;  and  neither  will  the  real  man." 

"It  is  the  very  key-note  of  our  plans,"  she  cried. 

"  Then  you  must  arrange  a  different  harmony." 

"  You  shall  not  interfere  with  it.  You  shall  not,  I 
say,"  she  exclaimed,  tempestuously. 

"  I  am  absolutely  resolved.  You  shall  either 
abandon  the  mad  project,  or  I  myself  will  thwart 
it." 

"  Would  you  quarrel  with  me  ?  " 

"If  you  force  a  quarrel  on  me  because  of  it  ;  yes." 
This  reply  seemed  to  amaze  her  more  than  anything  I 
had  said,  and  her  gaze  was  full  of  reproach  and  con- 
sternation. 

"  And  you  said  just  now  you  cared  for  me,"  she  said, 
softly. 

"How  deeply  it  may  never  be  in  my  power  to  tell 
you,  for  all  said  and  done,  I  am  only  a  poor  devil  with 
all  his  way  in  the  world  yet  to  make.  But  for  this  you 
have  made  me  rich  in  power,  and  I  will  use  the  power 
you  have  given  me  to  the  uttermost — to  save  you." 

Then  she  came  and  stood  .close  before  me  and  put- 
ting her  hands  on  my  shoulders,  as  she  had  done  once 
before,  looked  pleadingly  into  my  eyes. 


86    SARITA,   THE    CARLIST 

"  Will  nothing  move  you,  Ferdinand  ? " 

"  Nothing,"  I  returned,  meeting  her  eyes  firmly. 

"  Not  if  I  tell  you "  she  hesitated  and  bit  her  lip 

in  disconcerting  agitation.  My  heart  gave  a  wild  leap 
at  the  thought  of  how  the  broken  sentence  might  have 
been  finished.  I  loved  her,  Heaven  knows  how  deeply, 
and  for  an  instant  I  cheated  myself  with  the  wild  fancy 
that  a  confession  of  answering  love  was  halting  on  her 
trembling  lips.  "  Not  if  I  do  what  I  have  never  yet 
done  to  any  man — beg  and  implore  you  to  leave  this 
thing  alone?" 

Moved  though  I  was  I  would  not  let  her  see  anything 
of  my  feeling ;  I  changed  no  muscle  of  my  face,  and 
met  her  eyes  with  the  same  calm,  resolute  look  as  I  an- 
swered slowly  and  earnestly — 

"  Sarita,  if  such  a  thing  were  possible  as  that  you 
love  me  and  that  the  words  which  faltered  on  your  lips 
just  now  had  been  a  confession  of  that  love,  I  should 
still  answer  you  that  nothing  would  move  me  from  my 
purpose." 

She  started  violently,  listened  to  me  at  first  with 
such  a  look  as  one  might  give  whose  heart  has  sud- 
denly been  bared,  and  then  with  an  expression  of  dis- 
may which  changed  at  last  to  almost  passionate 
reproach  her  hands  slipped  from  my  shoulders  and  she 
fell  into  a  chair  and  covered  her  face  to  hide  her  emo- 
tion. 

But  the  weakness  passed  in  an  instant  and  she  rose 
and  faced  me,  once  again  calm,  confident,  and  self- 
reliant. 

"  It  shall  not  be  abandoned.  You  have  no  right  to 
do  this.  It  shall  go  on,  do  what  you  will.  You  shall 
not  come  between  me  and  my  duty  ;  between  me  and 


'  AN  ENEMY  OF  SPAIN  CAN  BE  NO  FRIEND  OF  MINE, 

SHE  CRIED." — Page  87. 


SARITA,    THE    CARLIST    87 

my  country.  I  have  urged  and  entreated  you,  and  you 
have  scorned  me.  It  is  not  in  your  power  to  bend  me 
— cold  and  hard  and  strong  as  you  may  think  yourself. 
I  can  be  cold  and  hard  and  strong,  too,  as  you  will 
find.  What  if  I  tell  you,  as  I  do,  that  you  shall  never 
set  eyes  on  me  again  if  you  do  not  give  way  ? "  and  she 
drew  herself  to  her  full  height,  splendid  in  her  flashing, 
gleaming  anger.  But  I  did  not  yield  a  jot  from  my 
purpose. 

"  That  must  be  as  you  will,  Sarita,"  I  said,  calmly. 
"  Nothing  can  change  my  resolve.  Because  I  will  not 
see  or  say  that  all  you  do  is  right,  you  are  angry. 
Well,  leave  it  there.  Believe  me,  I  will  stop  this  and 
save  you  from  yourself." 

"  I  do  not  want  your  help  ;  and  I  will  not  have  it. 
An  enemy  of  Spain  can  be  no  friend  of  mine,"  she  cried, 
passionately,  and  was  going  from  the  room  with  all  the 
signs  of  her  anger  and  emotion  flaming  in  her  face 
when  the  door  was  opened  and  a  servant  ushered  in 
Colonel  Livenza. 

As  soon  as  he  saw  me,  his  face  lowered  ominously 
and  the  anger  deepened  and  darkened  when  he  per- 
ceived by  Sarita's  face  that  our  interview  had  been  no 
mere  conventional  one. 

Sarita  was  for  the  moment  too  agitated  to  stay  and 
speak  with  him,  and  with  a  hasty  word  of  greeting  and 
excuse  she  hurried  past  him  and  left  us  alone. 

He  looked  after  her  in  surprise  and  deep  annoyance, 
and  then  turned  with  a  scowl  to  me  as  if  for  an  explana- 
tion ;  looking  on  me  as  an  intruder. 

"  I  did  not  expect  to  meet  you  here,  senor,"  he  said, 
angrily  ;  but  the  scene  with  Sarita  had  left  me  in  no 
pleasant  mood,  and  I  was  glad  enough  to  have  some- 


88    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

one  on  whom  to  vent  the  temper  which  I  had  been 
keeping  under  such  restraint. 

"  I  am  not  aware  that  I  am  in  any  way  called  upon 
either  to  anticipate  or  consider  your  expectations,"  I 
returned,  pretty  curtly. 

"  That's  a  very  strange  reply." 

"  To  a  very  impertinent  remark,"  I  retorted.  I  hated 
the  fellow,  and  was  not  in  the  least  concerned  to  conceal 
the  feeling.  In  my  then  mood,  guessing  the  object  of 
his  visit,  nothing  would  have  given  me  greater  pleasure 
than  to  have  kicked  him  downstairs  and  out  of  the  house. 
I  believe  he  guessed  something  of  this,  for  he  turned 
aside,  pretended  not  to  hear  my  answer,  and  made 
way  for  me  to  pass. 

As  I  reached  the  door,  going  very  slowly  and  keeping 
my  eyes  upon  him  in  that  melodramatic  manner  into 
which  a  bad  temper  will  lead  the  mildest  of  us,  Sarita 
came  hurrying  back,  and  her  glance  of  alarm  at  us  both 
showed  she  feared  some  sort  of  a  quarrel. 

"  I  will  see  you  again,  Sarita,"  I  said,  with  a  warmth 
in  my  manner  which  was  intended  more  to  displease 
Livenza  than  to  please  her.  But  she  was  still  very 
angry,  and  drawing  back,  said — 

"  After  what  has  passed  that  will  scarcely  be  neces- 
sary or  desirable."  At  which  the  man  smiled  and 
shrugged  his  shoulders  contemptuously  and  with  a 
suggestion  of  triumph  which  galled  me.  And,  smarting 
under  the  sense  of  my  defeat,  I  left  the  house. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

SEBASTIAN    QUESADA 

THE  interview  with  Sarita  both  distressed  and  per- 
plexed me,  and  my  uneasiness  was  considerably 
aggravated  by  the  fact  that  she  went  away  from 
the  city  leaving  Madame  Chansette  in  ignorance  of  her 
movements  and  in  much  anxiety. 

I  could  not  doubt  that  in  some  way  this  absence  was 
connected  with  the  plot  which  I  had  declared  my  inten- 
tion to  thwart,  and  Madame  Chansette  and  I  had  more 
than  one  consultation  concerning  her,  in  which  that 
good  soul's  fears  were  largely  shared  by  me. 

I  was,  moreover,  doubtful  whether  to  take  any  further 
steps  in  Sarita's  affairs  until  I  had  seen  her  again,  and, 
in  particular,  whether  to  approach  Sebastian  Quesada 
on  the  subject  of  his  giving  up  some  of  the  Castelar 
property. 

"  He  will  not  do  it,  Ferdinand  ;  I  am  convinced  he 
will  never  do  it,"  said  Madame  Chansette  ;  "  but  I  wish 
you  to  convince  yourself  also,  and  then  we  can  together 
try  to  bring  Sarita  to  reason." 

I  was  considering  the  questionable  policy  of  doing 
something  of  the  kind  when  a  somewhat  odd  adventure 
occurred  to  change  this  aspect  of  affairs,  and  relieve 
me  from  the  trouble  of  coming  to  any  decision  on  the 
point. 

Madrid  was  growing  very  uneasy  over   the  Cuban 


90    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

question,  and  the  populace  were  getting  quite  out  of 
hand  in  the  mad  demand  for  war.  Quesada  was  far  too 
clear-headed  not  to  understand  the  infinite  danger  to 
Spain  of  a  war  with  America.  He  knew,  probably,  how 
hopelessly  rotten  was  the  state  of  the  army  and  navy, 
and  he  threw  the  whole  of  his  powerful  influence  into 
the  scale  against  war.  But  the  Madrid  people  went 
mad,  and  several  riots  occurred  in  which  ugly  results 
were  with  difficulty  avoided  ;  and  one  of  these  disturb- 
ances, directed  against  Quesada  himself,  was  destined 
to  have  weighty  consequences  for  me. 

I  was  in  my  rooms  one  afternoon  when  I  heard  the 
sounds  of  a  disturbance  in  the  street,  and,  looking  out, 
I  saw  a  big  crowd  hurrying  with  shouts,  and  cries,  and 
gesticulations,  and  with  alternate  huzzaing  and  hooting, 
in  the  direction  of  the  Puerta  del  Sol,  where  Quesada's 
office,  the  Ministry  of  the  Interior,  stood.  I  turned 
out  to  see  what  would  happen,  and  soon  I  found  myself 
in  the  midst  of  a  mob  bent  on  making  a  very  rowdy 
demonstration  against  Quesada  and  his  counsels  of 
peace  and  prudence. 

I  hung  on  the  skirts  of  the  crowd,  listening  to  the 
fierce  groans  and  hisses  of  those  who  had  reached  the 
Ministry,  and  wondering  curiously  what  would  be 
the  upshot.  Then,  just  as  matters  were  beginning  to 
get  very  lively  indeed,  a  carriage  with  a  dashing  pair  of 
greys  came  rattling  down  the  Calle  de  Arenal,  and  the 
coachman,  being  unable  to  get  threugh  the  crowd, 
was  idiot  enough  to  lay  his  whip  on  the  backs  of  some 
of  the  men  who  stood  thronging  the  roadway. 

This  fool's  act  maddened  the  mob,  and  with  a  roar 
like  beasts  some  of  them  swarmed  on  to  the  box  and 
dragged  him  off,  while  others  unharnessed  the  horses, 


SEBASTIAN    QUESADA      91 

hauled  them  from  the  carriage,  and  with  shouts  and 
oaths  turned  their  heads  and  sent  them  galloping  back 
along  the  road  they  had  come. 

Meanwhile  I  had  seen  that  the  only  occupant  of  the 
carriage  was  a  girl,  who  was  almost  fainting  with  fright. 
I  slipped  across  the  road  on  the  chance  of  being  able 
to  help  her,  and  found  some  of  the  crowd  quite  disposed 
to  punish  the  young  mistress  for  the  act  of  the  coach- 
man. One  or  two  of  them  were  already  fumbling  at 
the  carriage  door,  and  matters  had  begun  to  wear  an 
ugly  look.  The  girl  was  shrinking  back  in  the  farthest 
corner  of  the  carriage,  gazing  in  terror  at  the  rough 
brutes,  who  were  yelling  and  shouting  in  mob  temper, 
as  they  clustered  round  the  door  ;  and  on  seeing  me 
she  gave  a  look  which  I  read  as  a  dumb,  piteous  appeal 
for  help. 

By  a  fortunate  chance  the  carriage  had  stopped  close 
to  the  pathway  at  a  point  where  the  pavement  was 
very  narrow,  and,  the  crowd  being  in  the  road  and 
only  a  couple  of  men  on  the  other  side,  I  slipped 
round  to  that  side,  shouldered  the  men  out  of  the  way, 
opened  the  door,  and  said,  in  a  tone  of  command — 

"  Quick,  senorita.  Trust  to  me  ;  I  will  protect  you. 
You  cannot  stay  here."  A  glance  at  me  seemed  to 
assure  her  that  I  meant  well  and  not  evil ;  and  just  as 
the  clumsy  louts  succeeded  in  opening  the  other  door, 
she  got  up,  put  her  hand  in  mine,  and  jumped  from 
the  carriage. 

Without  a  word  I  put  her  next  the  wall,  and,  getting 
between  her  and  the  balked  and  angry  crowd,  I  hurried 
with  her  as  fast  as  I  could  to  the  corner  where  two  or 
three  streets  open  into  the  Puerta  del  Sol,  the  crowd 
pressing  upon  our  heels  and  growing  more  vehement 


92    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

every  minute.  Most  luckily  there  was  a  cab  standing 
at  the  corner  of  the  Calle  de  la  Montera,  and  I  made 
straight  for  this.  The  driver  was  away  seeing  the  fun, 
no  doubt,  and  I  shoved  and  shouldered  my  way  toward 
it,  and  laid  about  me  so  lustily  with  my  stick,  getting  a 
fair  share  of  blows  in  return,  that  I  won  the  way  through 
and  put  the  girl  inside.  As  soon  as  that  was  done  I 
turned  at  bay  for  a  minute  and  let  drive  with  my  stick 
and  fist  in  all  directions,  clearing  a  path  till  I  could 
mount  the  box,  when  I  lashed  the  horse  into  so  much 
of  a  gallop  as  its  weary,  weedy  legs  were  capable  of 
achieving.  In  this  way,  hatless,  breathless,  and  with 
my  clothes  torn  and  my  muscles  aching,  I  succeeded  in 
getting  the  girl  out  of  the  clutch  of  the  mob,  who 
greeted  my  departure  with  yells  of  disappointment. 

When  I  was  well  out  of  all  danger  of  interference 
and  the  shouts  of  the  people  were  no  more  than  a  dis- 
tant hum,  I  pulled  up  and  went  to  look  after  my  charge. 
She  was  lolling  against  the  cushions  of  the  fly  in  a  half- 
faint  condition,  and  at  first  did  not  understand  me 
when  I  asked  where  I  should  drive  her.  But  at  length 
she  told  me  who  she  was,  and  I  could  understand  the 
reason  of  the  crowd's  anger.  She  was  Sebastian 
Quesada's  sister,  Dolores  Quesada,  and  asked  me  to 
drive  her  to  his  house  in  the  Puerta  de  Alcala. 

I  must  have  cut  a  queer-looking  figure,  but  as  there 
was  no  one  else  to  act  coachman  I  clambered  back  on 
to  the  box  and  hustled  the  aged  animal  in  the  shafts 
into  as  good  a  pace  as  I  could,  choosing  the  quietest 
streets  for  the  route.  By  the  time  we  reached  the 
house  my  "  fare  "  was  better,  but  asked  me  to  give  her 
my  arm,  sent  one  servant  to  mind  the  horse,  another 
in  search  of  a  Senora  Torella,  and  insisted  upon  my 


SEBASTIAN    QUESADA      93 

entering  and  helping  to  give  an  account  of  what  had 
occurred. 

When  the  colour  began  to  come  back  to  her  face  I 
was  rather  surprised  to  find  she  was  a  really  pretty  girl. 
She  was  disposed  to  make  much  of  the  incident,  and 
thanked  me  very  graciously,  although  too  profusely. 

"  Do  you  know  to  whom  you  are  beholden,  Do- 
lores ?  "  asked  the  duenna,  Senora  Torella.  "  May  I 
ask  your  name,  senor?"  And  when  I  told  her  she 
said — "  It  is  not  for  us  to  thank  you.  Senor  Quesada 
will  do  that ;  but  now,  can  we  not  help  you  ?  You  will, 
of  course,  allow  us  to  place  a  carriage  at  your  disposal 
for  your  return  home,  or  would  you  rather  that  we  sent 
some  message  to  your  friends  ?  You  have  suffered  at 
the  hands  of  the  mob." 

"If  you  will  send  a  servant  with  the  fly  which  I 
borrowed  to  the  police,  with  some  explanation,  it  will, 
perhaps,  save  trouble  ;  and  if  you  will  let  someone  fetch 
me  another  fly  I  can  get  home  all  right.  But  as  for 
thanks,  it  is  sufficient  recompense  to  have  been  of  some 
service  to  the  senorita,  Stay,  there  is  one  other  matter 
— give  that  coachman  of  yours  a  severe  reprimand.  It 
was  his  violence  in  lashing  at  the  crowd  which  provoked 
them  and  led  to  all  this  trouble.  You  are  feeling  bet- 
ter now,  senorita  ? " 

She  had  been  lying  back  in  a  low  chair,  gazing  at  me 
with  an  open-eyed  stare  which  I  found  somewhat  em- 
barrassing, and  she  now  roused  herself,  sat  up,  smiled, 
and  coloured. 

"  Thanks  to  you,  senor,  I  am  better.  But  for  your 
help  and  courage  what  might  not  have  happened  to 
me  ?  What  an  escape  !  And  what  do  I  not  owe  you  ? 
I  shall  never  cease  to  thank  the  Holy  Virgin  for  hav- 


94    SARITA,    THECARLIST 

ing  sent  you  to  rescue  me."  She  was  clearly  an 
emotional  creature,  but  this  kind  of  exaggerated  grati- 
tude was  not  at  all  to  my  liking. 

"  Pray  don't  make  too  much  of  it.  I  just  happened 
to  be  on  the  spot  at  the  moment,  but  I  did  nothing 
more  than  anyone  else  would  have  done  under  the 
same  circumstances.  Besides,  it's  pretty  certain  that 
the  crowd  only  meant  to  frighten  you,  and  nothing 
serious  would  have  happened  even  had  I  not  been 
there." 

"  It  is  clear  that  the  hand  of  Heaven  guided  you," 
said  the  duenna,  with  a  solemn  earnestness  which  quite 
disconcerted  me.  I  did  not  regard  myself  as  exactly 
the  sort  of  person  Heaven  would  choose  for  an  instru- 
ment ;  and  not  caring  for  the  turn  of  the  conversation, 
I  rose  to  leave.  They  were  loth  for  me  to  go,  however, 
and  urged  me  to  wait  until  the  brother  came  home  ; 
but  I  had  had  enough  of  it,  and  went  away,  not  sorry 
to  have  succeeded  in  getting  a  propitious  introduction 
to  Sebastian  Quesada. 

The  next  day  brought  Quesada  himself  to  the  Em- 
bassy ;  and  I  met  him  with  deep  and  genuine  interest, 
heightened  considerably  by  my  knowledge  of  that 
little  secret  which  Sarita  had  told  me. 

"  Senor  Carbonnell,  you  have  laid  my  family  under 
an  obligation  that  will  end  only  with  death,"  he 
said,  with  Spanish  exaggeration,  "and  the  measure  of 
my  gratitude  is  the  limitless  measure  of  my  love  for 
my  dear  sister.  You  must  render  me  another  service 
by  giving  me  your  friendship  ;  and  though  that  will 
add  to  my  obligation,  it  may  afford  me  an  opportunity 
of  showing  you  something  of  my  gratitude."  And  all 
the  time  he  was  saying  this  with  exaggerated  gesture 


SEBASTIAN    QUESADA      95 

and  elaboration  of  courtesy,  his  piercing  dark  eyes  were 
fixed  on  my  face,  seeking  to  read  me,  as  it  seemed,  to 
judge  the  manner  of  man  1  was,  to  calculate  the  kind 
of  reward  I  should  appreciate,  to  gauge  whether  I  made 
much  or  little  of  the  service  I  had  rendered  ;  and,  in  a 
word,  to  drag  out  my  inner  man  to  the  light  so  that  he 
might  see  it  and  appraise  it  shrewdly. 

"  I  trust  your  sister  is  well  after  her  alarm — it  was 
an  awkward  two  minutes  for  her ;  but,  believe  me,  if 
she  tells  you  that  there  was  anything  heroic  about  the 
rescue  or  any  real  danger  for  me,  it  is  only  because  her 
frightened  eyes  could  not  judge  calmly." 

"  Spoken  like  an  Englishman,  Senor  Carbonnell  ; 
but,  pardon  me,  I  know  what  a  Madrid  crowd  can  do 
in  less  than  two  minutes  when  excited.  My  fool  of  a 
coachman  was  very  nearly  mauled  to  death  by  the 
roughs,  and  lies  now  with  a  broken  leg,  a  couple  of 
fractured  ribs,  and  a  cracked  pate.  It  serves  him 
right,  perhaps  ;  but  it  shows  you — or,  at  any  rate,  it 
shows  me — that  Dolores'  danger  was  no  mere  imagi- 
nation. And  now  I  bring  you  a  request — to  dine  with 
us  to-morrow — and  I  have  come  with  it  in  person  lest 
you  should  be  engaged  then,  in  which  case  you  must 
choose  your  own  day  ;  for  we  can  take  no  refusal — un- 
less you  can  name  any  other  way  in  which  our  friend- 
ship may  begin  more  auspiciously." 

"I  shall  be  very  glad,"  said  I,  cordially.  "  Indeed,  I 
have  wanted  to  see  you  on  some  private  matters."  A 
gleam  of  lightning  questioning  flashed  from  his  remark- 
able eyes,  until  he  threw  up  the  mantling  veil  of  as 
pleasant  a  smile  as  ever  brightened  a  human  face. 

"  That  will  be  charming.  Myself,  all  that  I  have,  or 
know,  will  be  at  your  disposal,  senor.  By  the  way,  do 


96    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

you  know  your  very  name  has  interested  me  immensely, 
for  reasons  you  could  never  guess,  but  I  may  some  day 
tell  you,  to  your  infinite  surprise,  I  am  sure.  And 
there  are  other  reasons,  too.  Are  you  not  the  son  of 
LordGlisfoyle?" 

"  Yes,  the  younger  son." 

"  Then  do  you  know  that  in  a  somewhat  roundabout 
way  you  and  I  are  connections  ?  Dolores  and  I  are 
fascinated  by  the  thought  ;  and  we  will  discuss  all  this 
to-morrow,  for  I  intend  ours  to  be  really  a  little  family 
gathering — just  ourselves,  Senor  Carbonnell.  And 
now,  as  I  am  a  very  busy  man,  will  you  pardon  me  if  I 
run  away  ? " 

"  No  mischief  was  done  by  the  crowd  last  night  at 
the  Ministry  of  Interior,  I  trust  ? " 

He  smiled  at  the  sheer  impossibility  of  anyone 
harming  him. 

"  None  whatever.  My  carriage  was  a  little  scratched 
— the  rascals  recognised  it,  of  course,  for  mine  ;  a  few 
straps  of  the  harness  were  lost,  and  my  silly,  hot- 
headed, faithful  fool  of  a  Pedro  has  been  laid  by  the 
heels  for  a  while.  That  is  all.  Ah,  would  God,  senor, 
that  these  wild  Madrid  mobs  could  always  be  as  lightly 
turned  from  the  mad  purpose  on  which  they  are  bent !  " 
And  as  we  shook  hands  his  face  was  very  dark  with 
thought. 

I  went  with  him  to  his  carriage,  not  perhaps  quite 
without  a  feeling  of  gratification  to  be  seen  on  terms 
of  friendship  with  the  most  powerful  man  in  Spain  ;  nor 
could  I  resist  the  strangely  magnetic  influence  of  his 
personality.  I  believed  him  to  be  one  of  the  most 
dangerous  and  treacherous  of  men  ;  and  yet  he  had  so 
wrought  upon  me  in  the  course  of  a  few  minutes'  con- 


SEBASTIAN    QUESADA      97 

versation,  that  I  could  not  resist  the  temptation  to 
believe  that,  whatever  he  might  be  to  others,  to  me  at 
least  he  was  sincere  in  this  desire  for  my  friendship. 

Mayhew  and  I  dined  together,  and,  as  my  adventure 
was  now  common  property  and  very  generally  discussed, 
our  talk  fell  naturally  upon  Sebastian  Quesada's  visit. 

"You'll  have  to  be  careful  you  don't  get  your  head 
turned,  Carbonnell,"  he  said.  "You'll  remember  he's 
a  man  who  never  does  anything  without  a  purpose." 

"  What  wise  chaps  they  were  of  old,  to  have  Death's 
head  always  handy,"  I  returned,  with  a  laugh.  "  You're 
prettier  than  a  Death's  head,  however,  Silas."  He  was, 
in  fact,  a  remarkably  good-looking  fellow. 

"Well,  a  skull  has  one  point  over  us,  after  all — it 
can't  affect  to  hide  its  expression  with  any  forced 
laughs.  You  can  see  the  worst  of  it  at  any  moment." 

"  Which  means  ?" 

"  That  A  may  not  always  be  right,  for  instance,  when 
he  thinks  that  whatever  B  may  be  with  other  folk,  he's 
sincere  with  him." 

"  You've  hit  it,  by  Jove,  Silas.  That's  exactly  what 
I  did  think/' 

"  My  dear  fellow,  it's  exactly  what  everybody  thinks 
with  Quesada.  I  sometimes  think  he's  a  bit  of  a  hyp- 
notist. You  know  the  trick.  Old  Madame  Blavatsky, 
when  she  had  a  good  subject  in  tow,  could  chuck  a  bit 
of  cord  on  the  floor  and  make  him  believe  it  was  a 
snake.  After  all,  it's  only  diplomacy  a  little  devel- 
oped." 

"  You  think  I'm  a  good  subject,  as  you  call  it,  then  ?  " 

"  We're  all  more  or  less  good  subjects  for  Quesada  ; 
but  I  do  mean  that  if  you  believe  in  him  he'll  make  you 
see  snakes — aye,  and  feel  the  sting  of  'em,  too." 


98    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"  But  I  did  get  the  girl  out  of  a  fix.  Hang  it,  he 
can't  have  any  motive  in  my  case." 

Mayhew  laughed. 

"  Hasn't  a  girl  ever  given  you  a  thing  you  didn't 
want  at  the  moment,  and  haven't  you  wrapped  it  up 
very  carefully  and  put  it  away  somewhere,  appreciating 
the  act,  and  thinking  it  would  be  sure  to  come  in 
handy  some  day  ?  That's  Quesada's  policy  ;  and  I  can 
think  of  plenty  of  things  a  devoted  young  friend  on 
the  staff  of  the  Embassy  here  might  be  useful  for." 

It  wasn't  exactly  a  pleasant  view  to  take  of  the  in- 
cident, but  I  could  not  help  seeing  it  might  be  a  very 
true  one. 

"  What  an  ass  a  fellow's  self-conceit  can  make  of 
him,  Si,"  I  exclaimed,  after  a  pause.  "  But  I  shan't 
forget  what  you've  said." 

"  Don't,  old  fellow.  I  know  the  man,  and  I  know 
he's  to  be  labelled  dangerous.  I  don't  believe  there's 
any  villainy — aye,  any  villainy  of  any  kind,  that  he'd 
stick  at  to  get  his  way.  And  he  gets  it  to  a  degree 
that  astounds  those  who  don't  know  him.  With  all  my 
heart,  I  warn  you,"  he  said,  more  earnestly  than  I  had 
ever  known  him  speak. 

The  warning  took  effect  ;  it  pricked  the  bubble  of 
my  fatuous  self-conceit,  and  was  in  my  thoughts  all  the 
next  day  as  I  was  turning  over  the  problem  of  broach- 
ing Sarita's  affairs  to  Quesada.  It  must  mean  crossing 
swords  with  him,  indeed  ;  and  the  result  of  such  an 
encounter  must  at  best  be  doubtful. 

I  was  fully  conscious  of  this  ;  but  at  the  time  I  had 
not  a  thought  or  suspicion  of  the  infinite  hazard  and 
trouble  that  lay  in  wait  to  overwhelm  me,  and  to  which 
I  was  advancing  with  the  precocious  self-confidence  of 
conceited  inexperience. 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE   QUESADA    VERSION 

AT  the  Minister's  house  the  cordiality  of  my  recep- 
tion by  both  brother  and  sister  was  almost  em- 
barrassing in  its  warmth.  The  Minister  was' 
effusive,  elaborate,  and  demonstrative  ;  the  sister  gen- 
tle, solicitous,  and  intensely  earnest  in  her  gratitude. 
She  pressed  my  hands,  thanked  me  in  simple,  sincere 
phrases,  but  left  her  gratitude  to  be  expressed  chiefly 
through  her  eloquent  eyes,  which  were  constantly  upon 
me.  She  had  taken  a  quite  exaggerated  view  of  my 
act,  was  bent  upon  setting  me  up  for  a  hero,  and  ap- 
peared to  be  resolved  to  act  up  to  her  ideal  view  of  the 
case. 

The  Minister  was  an  excellent  talker,  and,  taking  the 
burden  of  the  conversation  upon  himself,  proved  him- 
self a  most  entertaining  companion.  The  one  personal 
touch  during  dinner  was  in  regard  to  his  previous  hint 
at  our  relationship. 

"  Did  you  understand  that  hint  I  dropped  yesterday 
about  there  being  some  connection  between  our  fami- 
lies ?  "  he  asked. 

"Well,  yes  and  no,"  I  replied.  "I  have  had  some 
kind  of  hint  from  my  father,  but  I  don't  know  exactly 
the  details." 

"  It  is  in  some  respects  a  painful  story,  and  one  we 


ioo  SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

rarely,  if  ever,  speak  of  ;  indeed,  it  is  known  to  but  very 
few  people.  But  this  is  a  family  conclave,  and  if  we 
may  not  open  the  cupboard  of  the  skeleton — as  you 
English  very  grimly  say — who  may  ?  By  the  way,  how 
excellently  you  speak  Spanish.  I  should  not  know  you 
for  any  but  a  Spaniard." 

"  I  was  many  years  as  a  youth  in  Spain." 
"  You  have  a  wonderful  idiom  ;  eh,  Dolores  ?  " 
"  I  thought  Senor  Carbonnell  was  a  countryman  at 
first,"  she  said,  her  eyes  and  face  lighting  as   if  that 
were  a  rare  virtue  of  mine. 

"  No,  Dolores,  you  were  wrong  there.  What  he  did 
for  you  was  English  work.  Had  he  been  our  country- 
man he  would  have  been  talking,  gesticulating,  and 
scolding  the  rabble.  But,  instead,  he  acted.  There 
was  one  thing  possible  to  do,  and  with  British  practi- 
cality he  saw  it  and  did  it  instantly.  No  one  but  an 
Englishman  would  have  thought  of  it.  A  Frenchman 
would  have  rushed  to  the  door  and  defied  the  crowd  ; 
but  that  wouldn't  have  saved  you.  A  German  might 
have  thought  of  what  Carbonnell  did  ;  but  he'd  have 
been  only  half-way  round  the  carriage  by  the  time  Car- 
bonnell had  the  door  open  and  had  whisked  you  out. 
One  of  these  confounded  Americans  might  have  done  it 
— but  he'd  have  tried  to  dash  through  the  crowd,  in  at 
the  wrong  door  and  out  at  the  right — too  much  in  a 
hurry  to  go  round  the  carriage  first.  He'd  have  done 
it,  however.  But  it  was  the  English  character  to  see 
just  what  to  do,  and  how  to  do  it  most  easily,  and  then 
to  do  it  in  the  same  moment." 

"  You  are  still  resolved  to  make  too  much  of  it,"  I 
cried,  with  a  laugh  at  his  comparisons. 

"  Can  we  make  too  much  of  a  cause  that  brings  us  a 


THE    QUESADA    VERSION  101 

new  friend,  and,  indeed,  a  new  relative  of  such  mettle  ? 
What  think  you,  Dolores  ?  " 

"  I  think  too  much  for  mere  words.  Senor  Carbon- 
nell  will  feel,  I  am  afraid,  that  I  am  very  clumsy  with 
my  thanks." 

"  You  were  speaking  about  relationship  ? "  I  put  in, 
as  a  diversion. 

"  It  makes  a  sorry  page  in  our  family  history  ;  for  in 
truth  we  committed  a  series  of  blunders.  Your  grand- 
father had  three  sons,  Carbonnell  ;  and  the  youngest  of 
them — I  fear  something  of  a  scapegrace — settled  here 
in  Madrid  under  the  name  of  Castelar,  fell  in  love  with 
my  father's  youngest  sister,  Sarita,  and  married  her 
against  the  wishes  of  all  our  family.  You  see  we  re- 
garded him  as  an  adventurer,  knowing  nothing  of  his 
being  an  Englishman  and  the  son  of  an  English  peer. 
Besides,  there  was  the  religious  difficulty.  I  was  a  lad 
at  the  time,  about  ten  or  twelve — it's  five-and-twenty 
years  ago  now — and  remember  the  thing  only  vaguely  ; 
but  I  know  I  was  as  indignant  as  the  rest  of  us  ; "  and 
he  laughed,  frankly  and  openly. 

"  The  marriage  was  a  very  disastrous  one,  I  have 
heard,"  said  I. 

"  Very.  Could  not  have  been  worse  ;  and  we  did 
not  learn  who  your  uncle  really  was  until  after  his  wife's 
death.  She  died  professing  herself  bitterly  sorry  for 
her  disobedience  to  the  family  wishes,  and  was  recon- 
ciled to  us  ;  but  the  children "  and  he  tossed  up  a 

hand  as  though  the  trouble  were  too  great  for  words. 

"  I  have  seen  Sarita  Castelar,"  I  said  ;  and  the  re- 
mark brought  one  of  those  lightning  gleams  from  his 
eyes  which  I  had  seen  before. 

"  Have  you  seen  the  brother,  Ramon  ? "  he  asked, 


102    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

changing  instantly  to  a  smile.  "  He  should  prove  inter- 
esting to  you,  if  you  knew  all.  But  they  both  harbour 
the  worst  opinion  of  me  ;  and  Ramon's  opinions  have 
taken  the  pointed  and  substantial  shape  of  a  dagger 
thrust  uncomfortably  close  to  my  heart,  and  a  bullet 
that  proved  him,  fortunately  for  me,  a  very  poor  shot. 
But  I  could  not  endure  that,  and  when  we  catch  him 
he  will  have  his  opportunities  of  pistol  practice  cut 
short."  He  made  light  of  the  matter  in  his  speech, 
but  there  was  that  in  his  looks  which  told  plainly  how 
bitterly  and  intensely  he  hated. 

"Don't  speak  of  it,  Sebastian,"  cried  Dolores, 
shuddering. 

"  I'm  afraid  our  relationship  is  a  little  indefinite,"  I 
said.  "  My  uncle  married  your  aunt,  and  we  are  there- 
fore— what  ?  " 

"  Staunch  friends,  I  hope,  Carbonnell ;  closer  friends, 
I  trust,  than  many  relatives  are." 

"  With  all  my  heart  I  hope  that  too,  senor,"  declared 
Dolores,  and  soon  after  she  and  Senora  Torella,  who  had 
scarcely  said  a  word  in  Quesada's  presence,  left  us.  As 
soon  as  we  were  alone  and  had  lighted  our  cigars,  my 
host  returned  to  the  subject  of  the  Castelars,  and  his 
open,  unembarrassed  manner  of  dealing  with  it  sur- 
prised me. 

"  You  have  seen  Sarita  Castelar,  you  say,  Carbonnell  ? 
She  is  a  very  beautiful  girl,  don't  you  think  ?"  and  his 
keen  eyes  were  watching  my  face  as  I  answered. 

"  Unquestionably.  One  of  the  most  beautiful  I  have 
ever  seen." 

"  It  is  a  coincidence,  too,  is  it  not  ? — she  is  the  image 
of  her  mother  in  looks  ;  you  are  not  at  all  unlike  your 
uncle  in  looks,  and  you  speak  Spanish  like  a — as  well  as 


THE    QUESADA    VERSION    103 

he  did  ;  you  are  here  in  Madrid.  It  would  be  a  strange 
coincidence  if  the  parallel  was  to  be  carried  a  stage 
farther." 

"  And  I  were  to  fall  in  love  with  her  and  marry  her, 
you  mean  ? "  If  he  could  bluff,  so  could  I  ;  and  in 
neither  my  laugh  nor  my  face  was  there  a  trace  of 
anything  but  apparent  enjoyment  of  a  rich  absurdity. 
But  it  required  no  lynx  eye  to  see  that  he  did  not 
enjoy  my  completion  of  his  suggested  parallel.  "  I'm 
afraid  she'd  have  a  poor  sort  of  future.  We  younger 
sons  of  poor  peers  are  not  as  a  rule  millionaires.  But 
she  is  a  very  beautiful  girl." 

"  She  is  a  very  extraordinary  one,  and  her  brother 
has  had  far  too  much  influence  with  her.  I  fear  some- 
times  "  he  left  the  sentence  unfinished,  pursed  his 

lips,  and  shook  his  head  dubiously. 

"  By  the  way,  she  and  Madame  Chansette — who  is, 
I  believe,  your  late  father's  sister — are  hopeful  that  the 
family  will  restore  the  property  which  I  understand 
belongs  to  Sarita's  mother  and  should  have  gone  to  her 
children." 

"  Say  rather  you  don't  understand,  Carbonnell,"  he 
cried,  laughing  and  shaking  his  head.  "  The  good  and 
amiable  Chansette  has  what  you  English  call  a  bee  in 
her  bonnet  on  that  subject ;  and  unfortunately  the  two 
children  share  the  delusion.  Why,  if  there  was  such 
property  I  should  surely  know  of  it ;  do  you  think  I 
should  not  positively  hail  the  chance  of  providing 
adequately  for  Sarita  ?  Not  for  Ramon,  perhaps.  That 
I  grant  you.  The  young  dog  deserves  the  whip  and 
worse.  My  very  life  is  not  safe  while  he  is  at  liberty. 
But  Sarita — why,  I  like  the  child.  I  call  her  child, 
although  she  is  four-and-twenty  ;  but  as  I  am  seven-and- 


io4    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

thirty,  and  she  has  always  been  a  child  in  my  thoughts, 
she  seems  so  now.  Wonderfully  pretty,  wilful,  disobe- 
dient, resentful,  always  irresistibly  charming,  but  still  a 
child.  Don't  take  her  seriously,  Carbonnell  ;  for  she  is 
just  the  type  of  woman,  when  taken  seriously,  for  whom 
men  rush  even  to  the  gates  of  hell." 

"  Then  there  is  no  such  property  ?  "  I  asked,  quietly. 

"  How  like  the  practical,  pertinacious,  dogged 
Englishman  !  "  he  exclaimed,  laughing  airily.  "  No, 
there  is  no  such  property,  Carbonnell  ;  and  anyone  who 
married  Sarita  Castelar  must  be  content  with  her  beauty 
as  her  sole  dower."  It  was  impossible  to  resist  the 
impression  that  under  the  words,  lightly  spoken  and 
with  an  easy  laugh,  there  lay  a  sneer  and  a  caution  for 
me.  It  was  the  first  note  of  his  voice  that  had  not 
rung  true  in  my  ears. 

"  I  am  glad  to  have  had  that  assurance,  Senor 
Quesada,"  I  answered,  gravely.  "  My  father  charged 
me  to  see  into  the  matter  and  I  will  report  to  him 
exactly  what  you  say."  We  spoke  no  more  then  on  the 
subject,  and  soon  after  we  had  joined  Dolores  and  her 
duenna,  her  brother  excused  himself  on  the  plea  of 
State  papers  to  read. 

After  an  hour  or  so  of  music  and  chatter,  in  which 
Dolores  showed  herself  not  only  a  beautiful  singer  but 
a  most  charming  little  hostess,  the  Minister  came  back 
to  us,  and  did  everything  that  lay  in  his  power  to  make 
me  feel  that  in  him  I  had  found  a  sincere  friend.  But 
Mayhew's  warning,  my  previous  knowledge  of  Quesa- 
da's  acts  and  character,  and  more  than  all  the  sentence 
of  his  which  had  sounded  false  in  my  ears,  had  com- 
pletely changed  my  thoughts  toward  him,  and  I  caught 
myself  more  than  once  listening  for  the  proofs  of  his 


THE    QUESADA    VERSION   105 

falseness  even  when  he  was  making  his  loudest  pro- 
fessions of  good-will  and  friendship.  And  I  went  home 
saturated  with  the  belief  that  he  was,  as  Mayhew  had 
declared,  a  most  dangerous  man. 

As  a  consequence,  I  did  not  believe  a  word  of  his 
version  of  the  story  about  the  Castelars  and  their  prop- 
erty, but  rather  that  he  was  concealing  the  facts  for 
his  own  purposes  ;  and  it  gave  me  more  than  one  twinge 
of  uneasiness  during  the  three  or  four  weeks  which  fol- 
lowed that,  despite  my  feeling  toward  him,  I  should 
have  encouraged  his  persistently  maintained  efforts  to 
make  friend  and  even  close  associate  of  me. 

These  efforts  were  indeed  a  source  of  constant  sur- 
prise to  me.  I  was  an  obscure  nobody  in  Madrid;  and 
yet  his  overtures  could  not  have  been  more  cordial  and 
earnest  had  I  been  the  heir  to  a  dukedom  or  a  throne. 
He  invited  me  constantly  to  his  house,  would  send  me 
messages  to  go  riding  or  driving  with  him,  and  indeed 
overwhelmed  me  with  attentions.  In  truth  it  seemed 
to  me  he  was  so  overdoing  his  part,  supposing  it  to  be 
mere  playacting,  that  I  was  almost  persuaded  he  must 
have  some  genuine  personal  interest  in  me.  Certainly 
he  did  his  utmost  to  make  the  time  a  pleasant  one  for 
me,  and  if  I  could  only  have  had  better  news  of  Sarita, 
I  could  not  have  failed  to  enjoy  myself. 

But  all  the  time  I  did  not  once  get  sight  of  her- 
When  I  called  on  Madame  Chansette,  Sarita  would 
never  see  me.  She  was  away  from  Madrid  often,  that 
good  lady  told  me,  and  would  not  even  hear  my  name 
spoken. 

"  I  thought  you  would  be  such  friends,"  she  wailed 
dismally  more  than  once  ;  "  but  Sarita  is  so  wilful.  I 
suppose  you  quarrelled ;  why,  I  can't  imagine.  I  am 


io6   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

sure  you  like  her,  and  in  the  first  day  or  two  when  you 
came,  your  praises  were  never  out  of  her  mouth.  But 
I  can't  understand  her." 

"  Couldn't  we  arrange  somehow  for  me  to  meet  her  ? " 
I  suggested,  presuming  on  the  old  lady's  good  nature  ; 
for  my  heart  had  warmed  at  the  unexpected  avowal. 

"  She  would  never  forgive  me,"  was  her  instant  and 
timid  reply. 

"  She  need  never  know,"  said  I.  "  I  will  manage 
that.  Let  me  know  where  I  am  likely  to  see  her,  say 
at  eight  o'clock  this  evening,  and  I'll  take  the  risk  of 
walking  straight  to  her.  I  will  come  as  if  with  news 
for  you,  and  will  take  my  chance." 

"Why  are  you  so  anxious  ?"  she  asked,  sharply. 

"  Because  I  love  her,  Madame  Chansette,  and  her 
safety  is  more  to  me  than  my  own  life.  Now  that  we 
know  Sebastian  Quesada  will  give  up  nothing" — I  had 
told  her  of  my  talk  with  him — "  it  is  more  than  ever 
necessary  for  her  to  leave  Madrid  and  abandon  this 
wild  business  of  intrigue." 

"  You  will  never  persuade  her." 

"  I  can  at  least  try  ; "  and  after  a  very  little  more 
persuasion  she  agreed  and  we  arranged  a  surprise  visit 
for  that  evening.  I  went  home  with  pulses  beating 
high  in  anticipation,  and  found  news  awaiting  which 
would  make  one  part  of  the  plan  genuine  at  least. 

I  should  have  news  for  Madame  Chansette,  and  for 
Sarita.  My  father  was  dead.  He  had  died  suddenly, 
a  telegram  from  Lascelles  told  me,  and  I  was  summoned 
home  with  all  speed. 

I  rushed  at  once  to  the  Embassy,  obtained  leave  of 
absence,  and  made  my  preparations  to  leave  for  Lon- 
don that  night ;  scribbled  a  note  to  Quesada  putting 


THE    QUESADA    VERSION   107 

off  an  engagement  with  him  for  the  following  day  and 
set  off  for  Madame  Chansette's  house,  with  an  over- 
whelming desire  to  see  Sarita  before  leaving  Spain. 

The  simple  device  effected  its  purpose  well.  The 
front  door  was  open  and  with  a  word  to  the  servant  I 
hurried  past  to  the  room  where  I  thought  I  should  find 
Sarita.  I  paused  just  a  moment  before  opening  the 
door,  caught  my  breath  hurriedly,  and  turned  the  han- 
dle and  entered. 

She  was  there  and  alone,  reading  with  her  back  to 
the  door,  and  thinking  probably  that  it  was  Madame 
Chansette  she  took  no  notice  of  my  entrance.  Then  I 
perpetrated  a  very  thin  trick. 

"  Ah,  dear  Madame  Chansette,  I  come  with  grave 
news  ; "  I  got  thus  far  when  Sarita  jumped  to  her  feet 
and  faced  me  with  eyes  flashing  and  cheeks  a-flush. 

"  How  dare  you  come  here?"  she  cried;  speaking 
in  English  to  emphasise  more  distinctly  the  gulf  be- 
tween us. 

"  Sarita  !  "  I  exclaimed,  as  though  in  deep  surprise  ; 
but  I  kept  by  the  door  intending  to  prevent  her  escape  ; 
and  I  feasted  my  hungry  eyes  upon  her  glowing 
beauty. 

"  My  aunt  is  not  here,  sir.  You  must  have  seen  that 
for  yourself  the  instant  you  entered.  Why  then  this 
absurd  pretence  ? " 

"  Because  I  would  ten  thousand  times  rather  see  you 
than  Madame  Chansette  ;  because  I  must  see  you  ; 
because — any  reason  you  like.  I  am  too  delighted  at 
having  at  last  caught  you  to  care  for  reasons.  You 
have  been  avoiding  me  for  many  days.  Why  ?  "  I  re- 
plied in  Spanish,  but  she  kept  to  English,  which  she 
spoke  with  great  fluency. 


io8   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"  Because  I  do  not  wish  to  see  you,  Mr.  Carbonnell. 
You  will  please  be  good  enough  now  to  go  away."  She 
spoke  in  her  coldest  and  loftiest  tone.  "  I  desire  to  be 
alone." 

"  No,  I  shall  not  go  away  without  an  explanation. 
Why  have  you  avoided  me  purposely  for  all  this  time?" 

"  I  have  given  you  the  reason.  I  have  had  no  wish 
to  see  you." 

"  Thank  you  for  your  bluntness  ;  but  you  must  carry 
it  a  stage  further  and  tell  me  why." 

"  Certainly.  Because  on  a  former  occasion  you 
rendered  your  presence  objectionable  to  me,"  she  re- 
turned in  the  same  cold,  level  tone. 

"  I  am  going  to  be  very  rude  and  objectionable  again, 
Sarita,  and  ask  you  not  to  tell  half  a  truth  and  then 
plume  yourself  on  having  said  something  particularly 
disagreeable  ; "  and  I  laughed.  "  I  decline  to  accept 
that  explanation.  The  truth  is  that  you  have  been 
very  angry  with  me,  and  I  think  your  anger  has  lasted 
long  enough — far  too  long,  indeed,  for  relatives  and 
such  friends  as  you  and  I  must  be." 

"  Insult  is  scarcely  the  badge  which  friendship 
wears,"  she  exclaimed,  changing  to  Spanish  in  her 
impetuosity. 

"  Good.  That's  a  distinct  improvement  on  your  cold 
assumption  of  callous  indifference.  Whatever  may  be 
your  real  feeling  for  me,  at  least  I  am  sure  it  is  not 
indifference." 

"  No,  I  have  told  you  ;  you  have  made  yourself 
objectionable  to  me,"  she  flashed  with  spirit. 

"  Because  I  told  you  I  would  thwart  your  wrongful 
intention  in  regard  to  the  young  King.  I  am  still  of  the 
same  mind/' 


THE    QUESADA   VERSION    109 

"  I  told  you  you  were  no  friend  of  mine  from  that 
minute,  and  should  never  set  eyes  on  me  again,"  she 
cried,  vehemently. 

"And  here  I  am,  nevertheless,  looking  at  you  with 
eyes  of  regret  that  you  have  treated  me  in  this  way." 

"I  could  not  prevent  your  forcing  yourself  upon  me. 
I  meant  never  with  my  consent ;  and  I  presumed  you 
would  observe  the  common  decencies  of  conduct 
sufficiently  not  to  force  yourself  upon  me  in  this  way." 

"  I  am  sure  you  never  thought  that  if  the  chance 
came  my  way  of  seeing  and  speaking  to  you,  I  should 
be  such  a  traitor  to  my  own  wishes  as  not  to  use  it. 
But  I  am  here,  and  have  not  come  to  quarrel.  I  have 
come  with  news  that  may  interest  even  you — for  it  is 
bad  news  for  me,  and  of  much  trouble." 

She  glanced  at  me,  and  seemed  as  if  to  repudiate  the 
intentional  ungenerosity  of  my  words  ;  but  said  nothing, 
and,  shrugging  her  shoulders,  turned  away  ;  and,  after 
a  moment's  pause,  substituted  a  retort,  keeping  her 
face  averted. 

"Why  not  carry  your  news  where  you  will  find 
sympathy  ?" 

"  You  mean  ?  " 

"  To  my  enemies,  but  your  new  friends.  The  Que- 
sadas,  brother  and  sister,  will  surely  bind  up  your 
wounds  best.  What  their  friends  suffer  can  scarcely 
concern  me."  I  heard  this  with  a  tingling  sense  of 
pleasure,  for  it  told  me  much  more  than  Sarita 
intended. 

"  I  have  been  to  Sebastian  Quesada  largely  on  your 
business." 

"  You  have  at  least  had  ample  opportunities,  and 
have  made  the  most  of  them.  I  should  congratulate 


no   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

you  upon  your  successful  knight-errantry,  too."  She 
said  this  with  a  scornful  shrug  of  the  shoulders,  and  a 
delightful  curl  of  the  lip.  Was  it  really  possible  she 
had  disliked  my  visits  to  the  Quesadas  because  I  had 
helped  Dolores  out  of  the  crowd  that  day  ? 

"  At  any  fate,  my  news  will  have  the  result  you  have 
wished  for,  Sarita.  My  father  is  dead,  and  I  am  leaving 
Madrid  to-night."  I  watched  her  closely  as  I  spoke, 
and  saw  her  start  slightly,  bite  her  lip,  and  draw  herself 
together.  It  did  touch  her,  it  seemed,  although  she 
was  unwilling  to  show  it.  After  a  moment  she  turned 
and  said,  with  an  effort  to  be  very  formal : 

"  I  am  very  sorry  for  your  personal  sorrow." 

"Will  you  shake  hands  now,  Sarita?"  I  said,  going 
towards  her. 

"We  are  not  children,"  she  returned  quickly. 

"  I  am  going  away  " — and  I  held  out  my  hand. 

"  Good-bye."  She  put  hers  into  mine,  and  I  captured 
it  and  held  it  firmly. 

"lam  going  away — but  I  shall  comeback  again." 
She  tried  to  snatch  her  hand  from  mine  at  this,  but  I 
held  it,  and,  looking  into  her  face,  said  firmly,  "  I  will 
not  part  in  anything  but  good-will,  Sarita,  And  when 
I  come  back  to  Madrid  it  must  be  to  find  you  still  my 
friend.  Don't  let  any  cloud  come  between  us.  There 
is  no  need.  God  knows  I  would  rather  have  your  good- 
will than  that  of  anyone  else  on  earth.  Don't  you 
believe  this  ?" 

"  You  had  better  not  come  back.  It  can  do  no 
good,"  she  said.  "  You  have  taken  sides  against  me ; 
you  set  yourself  to  thwart  me,  in  my  chief est  wishes  ; 
your  closest  friends  are  my  bitterest  enemies.  You 
know  this.  You  know  the  wrongs  they  have  done  me 
and  mine,  and  yet  you  make  them  your  friends.  It  is 


THE    QUESADA    VERSION   in 

nothing  to  me,  of  course,  whom  you  choose  for  your 
friends,  but — you  choose  them."  She  looked  up  and 
tried  to  smile  as  though  I  had  convicted  myself. 

"  Do  you  really  think  these  people,  brother  or  sister, 
are  anything  to  me  ?  That  their  acquaintance  or 
friendship,  or  whatever  you  term  it,  would  weigh  a 
hair's  weight  with  me  against  your  good-will,  Sarita  ?" 

"There  are  very  few  in  Madrid  who  would  think 
slightingly  of  the  friendship  of  such  a  man  as  Sebastian 
Quesada." 

"  There  is  one  man  in  Madrid  who  would  give  it  up 
without  a  thought  to  secure  the  friendship  of  Sarita 
Castelar." 

"Yes  ;  but  you  make  my  friendship  impossible  ;  you 
kill  it  with  your  violent  hostility  to  my  work." 

"  I  shall  be  away  I  don't  know  how  long — a  week, 
two  weeks,  a  month  may  be — but  I'll  make  a  sugges- 
tion. Let  us  both  use  the  time  to  try  and  think  out  a 
solution  of  that  difficulty — how  to  be  friends  even 
while  enemies  of  that  kind.  We  are  not  children,  as 
you  said  just  now." 

She  shook  her  head,  still  declaring  that  it  was  im- 
possible ;  but  she  smiled  as  she  said  it,  and  the  hard- 
ness and  anger  were  gone  from  her  voice,  so  that  when 
I  pressed  the  point,  as  I  did  with  all  the  earnestness  at 
command,  she  yielded  ;  and  when  Madame  Chansette 
came  into  the  room  some  minutes  later,  she  was  as 
intensely  surprised  as  she  was  pleased  to  find  us  both 
shaking  hands  over  the  bargain. 

The  thought  that  a  complete  reconciliation  was  in 
the  making  sent  me  off  on  my  journey  with  a  much 
lighter  heart  than  I  should  otherwise  have  carried,  and 
I  set  myself  diligently  to  work  to  try  and  think  of 
some  means  of  saving  Sarita  in  spite  of  herself. 


CHAPTER  X 

IN   LONDON 

MATTERS  in  London  were  pretty  much  of  the 
kind  customary  when  so  gloomy  an  event  has 
called  together  the  members  of  a  family  ;  va- 
ried, of  course,  by  touches  of  individuality. 

My  dear  sister  Mercy  was  quite  unstrung  by  my 
father's  death.  She  was  the  only  one  of  us  who  had 
not  been  led  to  anticipate  it,  and  the  suddenness  of  it 
had  roused  that  sense  of  awe  which,  perhaps,  the  sud- 
den death  of  a  loved  one  can  alone  produce.  She  was 
as  frightened  and  nervously  apprehensive  as  if  she  had 
known  that  Death  had  a  second  arrow  fitted  to  launch 
at  another  of  us.  My  arrival  did  something  to  cheer 
her,  and  Mrs.  Curwen,  who  was  with  her  constantly  at 
the  house,  joined  with  her  in  declaring  that  Mercy  and 
I  must  not  be  separated  again. 

It  was  not  the  melancholy  side  of  the  event  which 
appealed  to  Lascelles.  He  was  now  head  of  the  family, 
and  the  importance  of  that  position  filled  his  thoughts 
to  the  comparative  exclusion  of  any  mere  personal 
grief.  A  peer  of  the  realm  was  not  as  other  men.  The 
King  was  dead,  long  live  the  King — and  the  King  in 
the  hour  of  coming  to  his  own  had  no  time  for  vulgar 
indulgence  in  mere  emotion. 

Three  days  after  the  funeral,  he  explained  his  wishes 
in  regard  to  myself. 


IN   LONDON  113 

"  Ferdinand,  I  wish  to  go  into  things  with  you,"  he 
said,  with  quite  gracious  condescension,  having  carried 
me  to  the  study. 

"  I  am  afraid  I  haven't  many  things  worth  going  into 
at  all,  Lascelles,"  said  I.  "  The  father  had  prepared 
me  for  his  will.  There  is  a  thousand  pounds  for  me, 
three  hundred  a  year  for  Mercy — her  own  fortune,  of 
course — and  the  rest  for  the  title.  I  don't  complain 
in  the  least,  and  my  worst  wish  is  that  you  may  make 
that  good  marriage  as  soon  as  decency  permits.  How 
go  matters  with  Mrs.  Curwen  ? "  But  this  carrying  the 
war  into  his  own  country  did  not  accord  at  all  with  his 
point  of  view.  He  wished  to  dictate  to  me  about  my 
affairs,  not  to  listen  to  me  about  his  ;  and  after  fidget- 
ting  uneasily,  he  replied — 

"  You  go  very  fast,  Ferdinand,  and  I'm  sure  that  in 
diplomacy  you  will  not  find  it  advantageous  to  do  that. 
Things  are  a  great  deal  changed  since  you  left  London." 

"  Alas,  yes.     It's  a  way  that  death  has." 

"  I  hope  you  don't  mean  that  for  flippancy,  but  it 
sounds  like  it." 

"  My  dear  Lascelles,  a  long  face,  a  chronic  groan, 
and  the  white  of  one's  eyes  are  not  essential  to  real 
grief." 

"  Well,  it  sounded  flippant,  and  it  jarred — jarred  very 
much.  I  have  felt  very  keenly  the  father's  death, 
although,  of  course,  the  duties  of  my  new  position  have 
compelled  me  to  face  the  world  with — with  a  due  rigid- 
ity of  demeanour." 

"  What  was  it  you  were  going  to  say  about  change  ? " 

"  Well,  in  point  of  fact  I — er — I  was  referring  to — to 
a  match  that  concerned  you  as  much  as  myself.  Of 
course  I  can't  do  more  for  you  than — than  the  will  pro- 


ii4   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

vides,  and  I  am  glad  you  recognise  that ;  but  there  is 
one  thing  I  can  do — and  perhaps  I  ought  to  do  it  now 
— and  it  will  be  of  great,  indeed  of  the  greatest  conse- 
quence to  you." 

It  was  so  unlike  him  to  beat  nervously  about  a  sub- 
ject in  this  way,  that  I  watched  him  in  speculative  sur- 
prise. 

"  I  think,  you  know,  that  you  might — that  in  point 
of  fact  you  ought  to  make  a  wealthy  marriage  ;  and  I 
believe  that  such  a  thing  is  quite  open  to  you."  What 
was  he  driving  at  ? 

"  Isn't  it  a  bit  early  to  talk  of  this  ?  "  I  suggested. 

"  Under  other  circumstances,  perhaps,  it  might  be," 
he  said,  speaking  without  hesitation  now  that  he  was 
well  under  weigh  ;  "  but  as  it  must  affect  your  plans 
and  movements  a  good  deal,  I  have  thought  it  de- 
sirable to  broach  the  matter  at  once.  I  think  you 
ought  not  to  return  to  Madrid,  but  to  remain  here  in 
London  in  pursuance  of  this  object." 

"  And  who  is  the  object  I  am  to  pursue  ?  What's 
her  name  ?  "  I  could  not  resist  this  little  play  on  his 
awkward  phrase. 

"  I  wish,  Ferdinand,  you  wouldn't  catch  up  my  words 
in  that  way  and  distort  them.  I  meant  project,  of 
course.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  I  am  disposed  to  abandon 
in  your  favour  the  project  I  once  had  in  regard  to — 
Mrs.  Curwen."  There  was  a  last  hesitation  in  men- 
tioning the  name,  and  a  little  flush  of  colour  gave 
further  evidence  of  his  momentary  awkwardness  ;  but 
having  got  it  out,  he  went  on  rapidly  and  talked  him- 
self out  of  his  embarrassment,  giving  me  a  variety  of 
reasons  for  his  decision,  and  plenty  more  for  my  adopt- 
ing the  suggestion. 


IN   LONDON  115 

"  Have  you  somebody  else  in  your  eye,  then,  Las- 
celles?"  I  asked,  quietly,  when  he  had  exhausted  him- 
self. 

"  I  think  that's  a  very  coarse  remark,  Ferdinand — 
quite  vulgar  ;  and  I  am  surprised  at  it."  Perhaps  he 
was  right  to  be  shocked,  but  he  reddened  so  nervously 
that  I  could  see  I  had  hit  the  target ;  and  for  the  life 
of  me  I  couldn't  help  smiling. 

"  I  can't  say  that  Madrid  has  improved  you,"  he 
cried,  angrily,  seeing  the  smile.  "  I  am  inspired  by  no 
feeling  but  a  sincere  desire  for  the  welfare  of  one  of 
the  family  ;  but  you  must  do  as  you  please." 

"  It's  all  right,  Lascelles,  and  no  doubt  you  mean 
well.  But  I'm  not  going  to  marry  Mrs.  Curwen  or  any 
one  else  for  her  money  ;  and  I  am  going  back  to 
Madrid.  Is  there  anything  more  ? "  and  I  got  up  to 
show  I  had  had  enough. 

"  No,  there's  nothing  more,  as  you  put  it.  But,  of 
course,  if  you  place  yourself  at  once  in  opposition  to 
my  wishes,  you  can't  expect  me  to " 

"  Don't  bother  to  finish  the  sentence.  When  I  turn 
beggar  I  won't  hold  out  my  cap  to  you.  Don't  let  us 
quarrel.  I  went  to  Madrid  to  please  you  and  help 
your  plans,  and  I'm  going  back  to  please  myself.  And 
you'll  be  interested  to  know  that  the  most  powerful 
Minister  in  Spain  at  this  moment  wishes  to  be  a  close 
friend  of  mine,  and  his  house  always  stands  open  to 
me.  I  mean  Sebastian  Quesada." 

"  I'm  unfeignedly  glad  to  hear  it,  Ferdinand,"  cried 
my  brother,  instantly  appeased.  "  And  if  I  can  do 
anything  to  push  your  fortunes  over  there,  of  course 
my  influence  is  at  your  command." 

"  It's  very  good  of  you,  and  I'm  sure  of  it,"  said  I, 


n6     SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

laughing  in  my  sleeve  at  the  notion  of  a  man  like 
Quesada  being  influenced  by  my  fussy,  pompous,  little 
brother. 

When  Mercy  heard  of  my  resolve  to  return  to  Spain 
she  was  loud  with  her  protests  ;  and  I  found  that  she 
knew  of  Lascelles"  abandonment  of  his  matrimonial 
project — and  knew  the  reason  too.  He  had  proposed 
three  times  to  Mrs.  Curwen  in  the  short  interval  of  my 
absence  and  had  been  refused  ;  the  last  time  finally, 
and  with  a  distinct  assurance  that  nothing  would  in- 
duce Mrs.  Curwen  to  marry  him. 

When  Mrs.  Curwen  herself  heard  of  my  return,  she 
met  it  very  differently. 

"  I  am  so  glad,  Mr.  Ferdinand.  It  would  have  been 
so  tiresome  if  you  hadn't  been  returning.  I  don't  be- 
lieve I  could  possibly  have  ventured  out  there  alone, 
and  you  can  be  of  such  use  to  me.  And,  of  course, 
now  that  poor  Lord  Glisfoyle  is  dead,  Mercy  can  go 
with  me." 

"  You  are  really  going  to  venture  out  there  ? "  I 
asked,  not  over  pleased  by  the  news. 

"  Venture  ?  Of  course  I  am.  I'm  going  on  business, 
you  know.  My  lawyer  has  put  before  me  a  most  tempt- 
ing speculation — a  Spanish  silver  mine  ;  and  I'm  going 
out  to  look  into  it  myself.  A  poor  lone  widow  must 
have  something  to  occupy  her,  you  see.  Now,  you  will 
be  nice,  won't  you,  and  give  me  all  the  help  you  can  ?  " 

"  I  really  think  you'd  better  not  go,"  said  I ;  and  I 
meant  it  very  heartily. 

"  You  know,  that's  real  sweet  of  you.  It's  the  first 
nice  thing  you've  said  since  you  came  back.  It  shows 
you  take  sufficient  interest  in  me  to  wish  me  to  keep 
out  of  danger." 


IN   LONDON  117 

"  If  you  persist  in  going  I  can  help  you  a  good  deal, 
I  think,"  I  said,  gravely. 

"  Of  course  we're  going." 

"Then  I  can  introduce  to  you  just  the  best  fellow  in 
the  world — my  old  friend,  Silas  Mayhew,  and  he'll  do 
everything  you  want." 

"  I  do  think  you're  horrid,  and  that's  a  fact,"  she 
cried,  turning  away  with  a  pout  of  annoyance.  But 
nothing  would  stop  her  going,  and  such  was  her  resolu- 
tion that  she  did  not  rest  content  until  she  had  arranged 
to  make  the  journey  with  Mercy  under  my  escort. 

I  fixed  a  date  about  a  fortnight  ahead,  as  I  wished 
certain  business  matters  arising  out  of  my  father's 
death. to  be  settled  before  I  left ;  but  I  had  a  note  from 
Mayhew  a  week  before  then  with  news  which  I  regarded 
as  very  serious  ;  and  it  caused  a  change  in  my  plans. 
After  giving  me  some  Embassy  gossip,  he  wrote — 

"I  am  writing  this  mainly  because  I  think  you  will 
care  to  know  that  some  very  disquieting  rumours  are 
afloat  about  Sarita  Castelar.  The  Carlists  have  been 
unpleasantly  active  in  certain  districts,  and  I  hear  the 
Government — Quesada,  that  is — is  meditating  a  number 
of  arrests.  Amongst  those  listed  for  this  is,  I  have 
every  reason  to  believe,  the  Senorita  Castelar. 

"  By  the  way,  a  letter  came  for  you  to  the  Embassy 
to-day,  and  I  forward  it  with  one  or  two  more  I  found 
waiting  at  your  rooms." 

The  letter  filled  me  with  apprehension  on  Sarita's 
account,  and  fired  me  with  eagerness  to  be  back  in 
Madrid.  I  sat  chewing  gloomily  the  thought  of  her 
danger  ;  I  knew  how  urgent  it  might  be  if  Quesada 
once  decided  to  strike,  and  I  resolved  to  return  to 
Madrid  at  once.  Then  I  glanced  hurriedly  at  the  en- 


n8   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

closed  letters.  Two  or  three  were  small  bills,  but  one 
bore  the  Saragossa  post  mark,  and  the  writing,  a  man's 
hand,  was  unknown  to  me.  But  a  glimpse  of  its  con- 
tents showed  me  its  importance. 

It  was  from  Vidal  de  Pelayo,  and  spoke  of  the  plot 
which  he  himself  had  mentioned,  and  showed  me  that 
all  was  now  ripe. 

"  I  have  obeyed  your  injunctions  to  the  letter.  I 
have  never  breathed  a  word  to  a  soul  of  what  passed 
when,  on  the  greatest  day  of  my  life,  I  saw  and  spoke 
with  you  and  held  your  hand.  I  have  also  done  every- 
thing since  that  you  have  directed,  and  until  this 
minute  all  was  as  I  reported.  But  at  the  last  moment 
those  I  trusted  have  failed  me.  The  little  guest  must 
not  come  this  way.  Someone  has  betrayed  us.  You 
have  never  told  me  how  to  communicate  with  you  under 
the  altered  circumstances  ;  and  I  take  this  desperate 
step  of  writing  to  the  British  Embassy  to  you.  If  I  am 
wrong,  forgive  and  punish  me  ;  but  I  know  not  what  to 
do.  Only,  if  the  little  guest  comes  here  on  the  i7th,  all 
will  be  lost."  ( 

I  knew  only  too  well  much  of  what  it  meant,  and 
could  easily  guess  the  remainder.  The  Carlists  had 
been  pushing  forward  their  mad  scheme  of  kidnapping 
the  young  King,  and  now  everything  was  in  readiness. 
Sarita's  absences  from  Madrid  were  explained — she  had 
taken  alarm  at  my  declared  intention  to  thwart  the 
scheme,  and  had  herself  been  hurrying  things  on  in  the 
necessary  quarters.  It  was  clear  that  she  or  someone 
had  communicated  with  Vidal  de  Pelayo,  and  had  given 
him  some  fresh  instructions  in  the  name  of  Ferdinand 
Carbonnell — this  was  how  I  read  his  phrase  :  "  I  have 
done  everything  since  that  you  have  directed,"  and 


IN    LONDON  119 

"  You  have  never  told  me  how  to  communicate  with 
you  under  the  altered  circumstances."  He  had  pushed 
his  preparations  to  the  verge  of  completion,  and  then 
had  come  some  hitch  ;  and  being  at  his  wit's  end,  and 
not  knowing  how  to  communicate  with  anyone,  he  had 
taken  the  step  of  writing  to  the  Embassy,  feeling  sure, 
no  doubt,  that  the  authorities  would  not  tamper  with  a 
letter  addressed  there. 

The  date  named  was  the  iyth — the  day  on  which  I 
had  fixed  to  start  with  Mrs.  Curwen  and  Mercy.  I  had, 
indeed,  been  living  in  a  fool's  paradise,  but  there  was, 
happily,  ample  time  yet  for  me  to  interfere  and  do 
something.  By  starting  that  night  I  could  be  in  Madrid 
by  the  i4th  ;  and  I  went  at  once  in  search  of  Mercy  to 
tell  her  of  my  change  of  plan. 

Mrs.  Curwen  was  with  her,  as  it  chanced,  and  I  told 
them  both  I  was  sorry,  but  that  I  was  compelled,  by 
news  from  Madrid,  to  hurry  out  at  once,  and  must  start 
that  night.  The  widow  was  a  practical  little  body,  and 
having  satisfied  herself  by  a  sharp  scrutiny  of  my  face 
that  there  really  had  been  news  which  had  upset  me, 
she  said — 

"  I  thought  you  were  spoofing,  you  know,  but  I  can 
see  by  your  face  there  is  something  up.  Can't  you  put 
it  off  till  to-morrow  ? " 

"  No,  I  cannot  waste  a  minute." 

"  Waste,"  she  cried,  with  a  shrug.  "  If  this  thing's 
bad  enough  to  shake  you  out  of  your  manners,  it  must 
be  bad.  But  I  don't  think  you  need  be  quite  so  frank 
in  calling  it  waste  of  time  to  wait  for  us." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon  ;  I  didn't  mean  that.  I  mustn't 
delay." 

"  That's  better  ;  and  we  won't  delay  you.     But,  say, 


120  SARITA,   THE    CARLIST 

I'll  make  a  bargain  with  you.  It'll  be  just  an  awful 
rush  for  me  to  catch  any  train  to-night,  and  if  you'll 
give  me  till  to-morrow  morning,  we'll  go  by  the  day 
boat  and  travel  special  right  through  from  Paris  to 
Madrid.  When  a  lone  widow  woman's  going  silver 
mine  hunting,  I  suppose  it  will  run  to  a  special  train 
anyhow.  And  I  just  love  the  fuss  it  makes." 

I  demurred  on  the  ground  of  the  expense,  the  trouble, 
and  the  possible  difficulties  of  making  the  arrange- 
ments ;  but  she  laughed  them  airily  away. 

"My  dear  Mr.  Ferdinand,  I  can  fix  it  up  in  an  hour. 
One  thing  I  did  learn  from  poor  A.  B.  C.,  and  that  was 
the  power  of  dollars.  You  can  have  anything  on  a 
railway  if  you'll  only  pay  for  it ;  and  a  member  of  the 
Madrid  Embassy  travelling  hot-foot  to  Madrid  with 
his  sister  and  her  friend  could  have  twenty  specials  in 
twenty  minutes,  for  a  due  consideration.  It's  a  bar- 
gain then?  I  must  be  off,  Mercy, dearest.  Whoop,  but 
we'll  scoop  some  fun  in — I  beg  your  pardon,  I  forgot. 
But  it'll  do  you  good  to  get  out  of  this  gloomy  old 
house,  dear,  and  there  is  no  sin  in  a  laugh  or  two.  And 
if  we  don't  enjoy  our  jaunt,  may  I  never  have  another. 
Look  here,  to-morrow  ten  o'clock  at  Charing  Cross, 
special  to  Dover.  Good-bye,"  and  she  was  gone. 

"  You'll  have  to  marry  her,  Nand,"  said  Mercy. 
"And  she  really  is  a  dear,  honest-hearted  thing;  as 
good  as  she  is  indefatigable  and  energetic." 

"  I  can  do  better  than  marry  her,  I  can  find  her  a 
husband  who  can  give  her  what  she  wants — some  love 
in  return."  And  I  was  thinking  of  Silas  Mayhew.  But 
the  other  matters  were  clamouring  for  my  thoughts 
just  then.  Sarita,  and  the  troubles  and  dangers  she 
was  coiling  round  herself  ;  the  plot  against  the  young 


IN    LONDON  121 

King  ;  the  part  I  meant  to  play  in  it  all  ;  and  in  the 
background  the  grim,  stern,  menacing  face  of  Sebastian 
Quesada — the  thoughtful  face  of  the  master  at  the  chess 
board,  moving  each  piece  with  deliberate  intent,  work- 
ing steadily  with  set  plan  as  he  lured  his  opponents  for- 
ward till  the  moment  came  to  show  his  hand  and  strike. 

The  idea  took  such  possession  of  me  that  in  the 
short  hours  of  tossing  slumber  that  night  I  dreamed  of 
it  ;  and  in  the  dream  came  a  revelation  which  clung  to 
me  even  when  I  woke — that  in  some  way,at  present  in- 
scrutable, unguessable,  Quesada  knew  all  that  these 
Carlists  were  planning,  that  it  was  a  part  of  some  in- 
finitely subtle  scheme  which  had  emanated  by  devious, 
untraceable,  and  secret  ways  from  his  own  wily  brain, 
and  was  duly  calculated  for  the  furtherance  of  his 
limitless,  daring  ambition. 

I  was  full  of  the  thought  when  we  reached  the  station 
at  the  time  appointed  and  found  the  indefatigable  widow 
before  us.  She  had  made  all  the  arrangements,  and 
was  lording  it  over  the  officials  and  impressing  upon 
everyone  the  critical  affairs  of  State  business  which 
impelled  the  important  member  of  the  Madrid  Embassy 
to  travel  in  such  hot  haste  to  the  Spanish  capital. 

I  was  a  little  abashed  at  my  reception  by  them,  and 
disposed  to  rebuke  her  excess  of  zeal ;  but  she  only 
laughed  and  said  : — 

"  You  ought  to  thank  me  for  my  moderation,  indeed, 
for  I  was  sorely  tempted  to  say  you  were  the  Ambassa- 
dor himself.  But  we  shall  get  through  all  right  as  it 
is." 


CHAPTER  XI 

"  THE  WAYS  OF  THE  CARLISTS    WILL  BE  HARD." 

THERE  is  no  necessity  to  dwell  upon  the  incidents 
of  that  memorable  journey  to  Madrid.  As 
Mrs.  Curwen  had  said,  "  we  got  through  all 
right."  We  were,  indeed,  treated  with  as  much  con- 
sideration during  the  whole  journey  as  if  we  had  been 
personages  of  the  most  illustrious  distinction,  and  I 
found  that  her  agents  had  contrived  in  some  way  to 
have  telegrams  despatched  to  all  points,  advising  the 
officials  everywhere  on  the  route  to  pay  particular 
heed  to  our  special,  and  to  forward  it  by  all  available 
means. 

That  we  were  a  very  distinguished  party  no  one 
doubted,  and  Mercy  was  so  excited  by  the  results  at 
different  places  and  so  exhilarated  by  the  change  of 
scene  and  by  her  friend's  vivacity  and  high  spirits,  that 
the  roses  began  to  come  back  to  her  pale  cheeks,  her 
nerves  toughened  with  every  mile,  and  before  we  left 
Paris  she  was  laughing  with  something  of  her  usual 
lightheartedness. 

During  the  journey,  Mrs.  Curwen  declared  that  as 
she  was  going  out  on  business  and  I  was  going  to  help 
her,  we  had  better  discuss  the  matter  fully.  As  I  had 
looked  upon  the  story  of  the  silver  mine  as  an  ingenious 
fable,  designed  only  to  be  a  cover  for  her  visit  to 
Madrid,  I  was  surprised  when  she  put  into  my  hands  a 


WAYS    OF   THE    CARLISTS  123 

quantity  of  papers  having  reference  to  the  subject,  and 
begged  me  to  study  them. 

"  Shall  we  leave  them  until  you  think  seriously  of  the 
thing?"  I  asked,  with  a  smile,  having,  in  truth,  little 
taste  for  the  business. 

"  Seriously  ?  Why,  I  was  never  more  serious  in  my 
life.  If  what  I'm  told  is  true,  there's  a  big  fortune  in 
it.  What  do  you  think  I'm  going  there  for  ?  " 

"To  see  Madrid  and  give  Mercy  a  treat." 

Mercy  laughed  and  glanced  at  her  friend,  who  col- 
oured very  slightly. 

"  Partly  that,  and  partly,  too,  to  be  there  when  there's 
someone  I  know  there — and  that's  you.  But  I  am  also 
in  earnest  about  this." 

"  Then  I'll  read  the  papers  with  pleasure,"  said  I,  and 
without  more  ado  I  plunged  into  them,  and  almost  at 
the  outset  made  a  discovery  which  caused  deep  sur- 
prise and  excited  my  keenest  interest.  The  land  on 
which  the  silver  mine  was  said  to  exist  was  being 
offered  by  Sebastian  Quesada,  and  it  formed  a  part  of 
the  property  which  had  belonged  to  Sarita  Quesada — 
my  Sarita's  mother.  In  other  words  it  belonged  by 
right  to  Sarita  and  Ramon  Castelar,  and  formed  a  por- 
tion of  the  estate  the  very  existence  of  which  Quesada 
had  denied  to  me. 

I  need  not  say  how  earnestly  I  studied  the  papers 
until  I  had  mastered  every  detail  of  the  case.  I  was,  in 
fact, so  absorbed  in  the  work, and  gave  so  many  hours 
to  it,  that  Mrs.  Curwen  at  length  protested  her  regret 
at  having  handed  me  the  documents  at  all. 

I  assured  her,  however,  that  it  was  fortunate  I  had 
read  them  as  I  was  able  of  my  own  private  knowledge 
to  say  there  was  a  flaw  in  the  title,  but  that  I  might 


i24    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

be  able  to  make  arrangements  when  we  reached 
Madrid  by  which  matters  could  be  put  right.  My  idea 
was  that  the  work  of  developing  the  mine  might  after 
all  be  done  by  means  of  her  money,  but  that  the  advan- 
tage should  be  reaped,  not  by  Quesada,  but  by  Sarita 
and  her  brother  ;  and  I  resolved  to  tackle  the  Minister  as 
soon  as  practicable  after  my  arrival  in  Madrid. 

As  we  drew  nearer  to  our  destination,  the  possible 
embarrassments  of  Mrs.  Curwen's  and  Mercy's  pres- 
ence in  Madrid  began  to  bulk  more  largely  in  my 
thoughts.  The  first  few  days  after  my  return  were 
sure  to  find  me  deeply  engrossed  by  the  work  I  had  to 
do,  and  I  did  not  care  to  explain  this  to  either  of  them. 
As  soon  as  I  knew  for  certain  the  time  of  our  arrival, 
therefore,  I  wired  to  Mayhew  to  meet  us.  I  was  glad 
to  find  him  on  the  platform  when  our  special  drew  up, 
and  we  all  went  off  together  to  the  hotel,  where  rooms 
had  been  reserved  by  Mrs.  Curwen.  A  few  words  ex- 
plained the  situation  to  Mayhew, who  was  glad  enough 
to  take  charge  of  my  companions. 

"If  anyone  knows  his  Madrid,  it's  Mayhew,"  said  I. 
"And  he's  a  first-class  pilot.  My  duties  to  the  Em- 
bassy will  be  rather  heavy  for  a  few  days,  so  you  won't 
see  much  of  me." 

I  was  glad  that  Mrs.  Curwen  was  very  favourably 
impressed  by  my  friend,  and  as  he  was  keen  for  Lon- 
don news,  and  she  and  Mercy  were  eager  for  Madrid 
gossip,  the  evening  passed  very  brightly. 

As  Mayhew  and  I  walked  to  my  rooms  later,  he  was 
rather  enthusiastic  in  the  widow's  praises. 

"  She's  a  good  sort,  Silas,  a  real  good  sort — bright, 
cheery,  and  chippy,"  I  said,  "  But  keep  off  spoons ; 
or,  at  least,  don't  show  'em.  She's  beastly  rich,  and,  like 


WAYS    OF   THE    CARLISTS   125 

all  rich  folks,  thinks  everybody's  after  the  dollars. 
Treat  her  like  any  other  unimportant  woman,  show 
her  a  bit  of  a  cold  shoulder  now  and  then,  contradict 
her,  and  make  her  go  your  way  and  not  her  own,  put 
her  in  the  wrong  occasionally  and  make  her  feel  it, 
don't  keep  all  the  appointments  you  make,  and  pay 
more  attention  to  Mercy  sometimes  than  you  do  to 
her — in  fact,  be  natural  and  don't  make  yourself  cheap, 
and — well,  you'll  save  me  a  lot  of  trouble  and  be  always 
sure  of  a  welcome  from  her." 

"  You  seem  to  know  a  lot  about  her,"  he  said,  drily. 

"  She's  my  sister's  chum,  Si,  and  I  don't  want  to  be 
on  duty  for  some  days  at  any  rate  ;"  and  I  plumed 
myself  on  having  given  him  some  excellent  advice  and 
started  a  pretty  little  scheme  for  the  mutual  advan- 
tage of  them  both. 

Then  I  turned  to  matters  that  had  much  more  im- 
portance for  me,and  questioned  him  as  to  the  rumour 
he  had  sent  me  about  Sarita's  possible  arrest.  It  was 
no  more  than  a  rumour,  and  he  had  had  it  from  a  man 
pretty  high  up  at  the  Embassy,  who  in  turn  had  heard 
it  whispered  by  a  member  of  the  Government. 

"  The  most  I  can  make  of  it,  Ferdinand,  is  that  there 
is  some  kind  of  coup  projected  by  the  Carlists — I  be- 
lieve they  are  organising  one  or  two  simultaneous  ris- 
ings— and  the  Government  are  alarmed  and  will  strike, 
and  strike  hard.  In  fact,  at  the  Embassy  we  are  look- 
ing for  lively  times,  and  I  thought  you'd  like  to  know 
it.  By  the  way,  there  was  a  queer-looking  provincial 
came  asking  for  you  at  the  Embassy  yesterday,  and  I 
found  he'd  been  to  your  rooms." 

"  He  left  no  name  or  word  ?  " 

"  No  name,  but  said  he  had  written  you,  and  that  his 


126   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

business  was  perfectly  private  and  personal,  but  impor- 
tant." 

I  jumped  to  the  conclusion  at  once  that  it  was  Vidal 
de  Pelayo,and  that, having  had  no  reply  to  his  letter,he 
had  risked  another  visit  to  me  ;  and  I  had  no  sooner 
reached  my  rooms,  late  though  the  hour  was,  than  he 
arrived.  He  was  looking  haggard,  weary,  and  anxious. 

"  Senor,  I  have  been  waiting  and  watching  for  you 
three  days  here  in  Madrid.  When  no  reply  came  to 
my  letter  and  your  further  instructions  reached  me 
four  days  ago,  I  knew  something  must  be  wrong,  and 
in  my  desperation  I  came  here." 

"  What  further  instructions  do  you  mean  ?  Give 
them  me." 

"  Confirming  the  arrangements,  giving  me  the  time 
for  the  little  guest's  arrival  at  Huesca,  and  directing 
me  to  receive  him.  What  was  I  to  do,  Senor  ?  I  saw 
ruin  to  us  all  and  to  everything  in  this  false  step  ;  I 
could  communicate  with  no  one — what  could  I  do  but 
come  here  to  you  ?  "  He  spoke  wildly,  and  with  patent 
signs  of  distress  and  agitation. 

"  I  have  your  letter,  and  have  made  the  necessary 
arrangements.  The  little  guest  will  not  go  to  Huesca. 
Have  no  further  care.  You  might  have  known  I  should 
not  blunder  in  this  way."  I  spoke  with  studied  sharp- 
ness. 

"  The  blessed  Virgin  be  thanked  for  this,''  he  cried, 
fervently.  "  The  fear  has  weighed  on  me  like  a  blessed 
martyr's  curse." 

"You  need  fear  no  more,"  I  said,  and  was  dismissing 
him  when  the  possibility  occurred  to  me  that  I  might 
,still  make  some  use  of  him  in  the  last  resort.  "You 
will  go  back  to  Saragossa,and  on  the  xytli  you  will  pro- 


WAYS    OF   THE    CARLISTS   127 

ceed  to  Huesca.  I  may  be  there  and  have  need  of 
you.  Meanwhile,silence  like  that  of  the  grave  ;  "  and 
with  some  more  words  of  earnest  caution  I  sent  him 
away.  If  the  worst  came  to  the  worst  and  the  young 
King  was  carried  to  Huesca  on  the  i;th,  I  could  yet 
use  this  man  to  get  possession  of  His  majesty. 

I  had  still  to  learn  how  the  actual  abduction  was  to 
take  place,  and  I  had  two  days  only  in  which  to  find 
this  out.  It  was  already  the  i4th  ;  and  cast  about  in 
my  thoughts  as  I  would,  I  could  see  no  way  of  dis- 
covering a  secret  which  meant  life  or  death  to  those 
who  knew  it  and  would  be  guarded  with  sacred  jeal- 
ousy and  closeness. 

To  me  it  seemed  that  any  attempt  of  the  kind  must 
certainly  fail.  The  young  King  was  protected  and 
watched  with  the  utmost  vigilance  ;  his  movements 
were  not  even  premeditated  and  were  scarcely  ever 
known  long  in  advance  even  to  those  in  the  immediate 
circle  of  the  Palace  ;  he  was  never  left  alone  ;  and  the 
whole  arrangements  for  his  safe  keeping  might  have 
been  framed  with  an  eye  to  the  prevention  of  just  such 
an  attempt  as  was  now  planned. 

Yet  here  were  these  Carlists  fixing  a  day  well  ahead 
for  the  enterprise,  making  all  calculations  and  arrange- 
ments, and  taking  it  for  certain  that  they  would  have 
the  opportunity  which  to  an  onlooker  seemed  an  abso- 
lute impossibility.  It  baffled  me  completely  that  night. 

In  the  course  of  the  next  morning  I  sent  a  note  to 
Sebastian  Quesada  announcing  my  return  and  saying  I 
wished  to  see  him ;  and  a  note  came  back  by  my 
messenger  asking  me  to  call  on  him  at  once  at  his 
office. 

His  greeting  could  not  have  been  warmer  and  more 


i28  SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

cordial  had  I  been  his  oldest  friend  returned  after  a 
long  absence.  At  the  moment  of  my  arrival  he  was 
engaged,  but  by  his  express  orders  I  was  shown  in- 
stantly to  him  ;  he  dismissed  the  officials  closeted  with 
him  with  the  remark  that  even  that  business  must  wait 
upon  his  welcome  of  me  ;  and  had  I  not  discouraged 
him  I  am  sure  he  would  have  kissed  me  after  the  Span- 
ish demonstrative  style. 

"I  have  missed  you,  Ferdinand,"  he  said,  using  my 
Christian  name  for  the  first  time,  and  speaking  with 
the  effusiveness  of  a  girl.  "  I  have  missed  you  more 
than  I  could  have  believed  possible.  Our  little  chats, 
our  rides  and  drives  together,  have  become  necessary 
to  me — that  is  a  selfish  view  to  take  of  a  friend,  is  it 
not  ? — but  they  have  been  delightful  breaks  in  my  too 
strenuous  life.  When  I  got  your  little  note  an  hour  ago 
I  felt  almost  like  a  schoolboy  whose  chief  companion 
has  just  come  back  to  school.  I  was  grieved  to  hear 
of  Lord  Glisfoyle's  death." 

We  chatted  some  time  and  then  he  surprised  me. 

"  I  suppose  you  know  the  world's  opinion  of  me, 
Ferdinand — a  hard,  scheming,  ambitious,  grasping, 
avaricious  item  of  human  machinery,  all  my  movements 
controlled  by  judgment,  and  conceived  and  regulated 
to  advance  only  along  the  path  of  my  own  self-interest. 
What  a  liar  the  world  can  be — and  I  am  going  to  show 
you  this.  I  have  been  thinking  it  out  while  you  have 
been  away.  You  remember  in  the  first  hours  of  our 
friendship  you  spoke  of  the  Castelars  and  their  prop- 
erty, and  you  seemed  surprised  at  my  declaration  that 
they  had  none.  Well,  I  resolved  for  the  sake  of  this 
new  thing  in  my  life,  our  friendship,  to  have  the  matter 
more  closely  looked  into.  I  have  done  this,  and  I  find 


WAYS    OF   THE    CARLISTS   129 

I  have  been  wrong  all  these  years.  Certain  property 
that  I  have  looked  upon  as  mine,  is  theirs,  and  I  am 
getting  ready  to  make  them  full  restitution.  It  will 
mean  great  riches  to  them  ;  for  amongst  it  is  a  district, 
at  present  barren  and  profitless,  which  I  believe  has 
most  valuable  deposits  of  silver.  I  shall  restore  it  to 
them  as  soon  as  the  formalities  can  be  concluded  ;  and 
you,  my  dear  friend,  shall,  if  you  desire,  be  the  bearer 
of  the  news  to  them  ;  for  it  is  to  you,  to  our  friend- 
ship, that  in  fact  they  will  owe  it." 

"  I  am  unfeignedly  glad  to  hear  this,"  I  exclaimed. 
I  was  in  truth  lost  in  sheer  amazement  alike  at  the 
intention  and  at  the  motive  to  which  he  ascribed  it. 
But  so  deep  was  my  distrust  of  him  that  I  could  not 
stifle  the  doubts  of  his  candour,  even  while  he  was 
speaking,  and  my  thoughts  went  flying  hither  and 
thither  in  search  of  his  real  motive.  Could  he  in  any 
way  have  guessed  that  the  facts  were  in  my  possession  ? 
Did  he  know  that  his  agents  in  London  had  put  the 
matter  to  Mrs.  Curwen,  and  that  she  had  travelled  with 
me  to  Madrid  ? 

"  It  has  been  a  genuine  pleasure  to  me  to  think  of 
this  little  act  of  justice  as  the  outcome  of  our  friend- 
ship, Ferdinand — sincere,  genuine  pleasure.  And  now 
let  us  speak  of  another  matter.  Have  you  ever  heard 
of  your  name  having  been  used  here  in  Spain?"  The 
question  came  with  such  sharp  suddenness  that  I  was 
unprepared  with  a  fencing  reply. 

"Yes,  I  have  heard  something  of  it,"  I  answered, 
meeting  the  keen  glance  he  bent  on  me. 

"It  is  a  curious  business.  Don't  tell  me  what  you 
have  heard  ;  I  should  not  be  surprised  if  I  know  it 
already.  But  if  you  have  played  with  this  thing  at  all, 


i3o   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

I  beg  you  be  cautious.  If  I  were  to  tell  you  the  nature 
of  some  of  the  reports  my  agents  bring  me,  you  would 
be  intensely  surprised.  Happily  our  friendship  enables 
me  to  distinguish  accurately  between  my  dear  friend 
Ferdinand  Carbonnell,and — the  other.  All  do  not  hold 
the  key  to  the  mystery,  however,  and — well,  perhaps  it 
is  fortunate  in  many  ways  that  I  do  possess  it.  I  tell 
you  this  now,  because,while  you  have  been  absent  from 
Madrid,  strange  things  have  occurred,  and  we  are  in 
the  midst  of  much  danger.  Even  as  I  sit  here  talking 
to  you,  it  is  scarcely  an  exaggeration  to  say  the  very 
existence  of  the  Government,  aye,  and  of  the  Monarchy 
itself  may  be  trembling  in  the  balance." 

"  You  mean  this  ? ''  I  cried. 

"  My  dear  Ferdinand,  on  some  things  I  never  make 
mistakes.  You  know  I  have  opposed  this  clamour  for 
war  with  all  my  power,  putting  all  I  have  of  value  to 
the  hazard  in  that  opposition.  I  have  done  that  because 
I  see  as  plainly  as  if  the  events  had  already  occurred 
how  hopeless  would  be  a  war  for  Spain.  We  can  scarcely 
hold  Cuba  as  it  is,  and  Manila  is  but  another  name  for 
menace.  Can  we  dream  then  of  winning  when  all  the 
wealth  and  power  of  America  is  thrown  into  the  scale 
against  us  ?  Alas,  my  poor,  infatuated  country  !  " 

He  leant  back  in  his  chair,  lost  for  a  moment  in  deep 
meditation. 

"  They  prate  to  me,  these  fools,  of  European  inter- 
vention and  help.  Who  can  intervene  ?  Or  if  interven- 
ing, can  do  aught  but  dash  themselves  fruitlessly 
against  the  naval  might  of  your  country  ?  If  only  Eng- 
land would  speak  the  word !  Then  we  might  hope 
indeed; and  then  in  all  truth  I  would  cry  for  war.  But 
as  it  is,  what  else  do  we  resemble  so  much  as  the  swine 


WAYS    OF    THE    CARLISTS   131 

of  the  Gadarenes  inspired  by  the  devils  of  our  empty 
pride  to  rush  down  the  precipice  of  war  to  sure  and 
certain  ruin  ?  Ah,  Ferdinand,  my  friend,  pray  to  God 
— or  whatever  you  hold  for  a  God,  that  it  may  never  be 
your  lot  to  sit  in  the  high  places  of  your  people  and 
watch  them  rushing  to  ruin  ;  seeing  the  ruin  clearly 
and  yet  powerless  to  avert  it.  It  is  a  cursed  heritage  !  " 
he  cried  bitterly. 

"The  war  could  still  be  averted,"  I  said. 

He  smiled  and  shook  his  head. 

"  At  what  cost  ?  Good  God,  at  what  cost  ?  At  the 
cost  of  a  revolution,  the  overthrow  of  the  monarchy, 
the  outbreak  of  Civil  War  !  And  to  do  what — to  over- 
set one  feeble  family,  and  prop  up  another.  Was  ever 
a  country  cleft  by  such  a  sharp  and  cruel  sword  ? " 

That  he  should  have  spoken  to  me  in  this  strain  sur- 
prised me  ;  for  though  we  had  frequently  discussed 
Spanish  politics,  he  had  never  spoken  with  such 
freedom — and  he  seemed  to  read  the  thought  in  my 
face. 

"You  wonder  why  I  speak  so  frankly.  I  have 
reasons.  The  hour  is  striking  when  all  men  will  know 
the  truth  as  I  see  it  now.  Then  it  is  a  relief  to  speak  : 
I  believe  even  the  highest  mountains  and  tallest  trees 
grow  weary  at  times  of  their  solitude.  And  lastly,  we 
are  on  the  eve  of  stirring  events,  and  I  must  warn  you 
to  be  doubly  circumspect  in  regard  to  this  coincidence 
of  your  name.  In  the  hour  of  her  agony,  Spain  may 
prove  as  unjust  as  in  the  days  of  the  Inquisition. 
Therefore,  be  careful.  I  know  you  English  can  keep 
secrets." 

"  Will  you  tell  me  one  thing  ?  Is  Sarita  Castelar  in 
danger  and  likely  to  be  arrested  ?" 


SARITA,   THE    CARLIST 

"She  has  been  foolish,  wild  and  reckless  even  in  her 
Carlism.  And  if  the  outbreak  comes  and  any  rising, 
the  '  ways  of  the  Carlists  will  be  hard.'  But  of  this  be 
sure — she  may  always  reckon  now  that  I  will  try  to  save 
her  ;  although  any  hour  may  see  my  power  broken.  If 
war  comes,  Ferdinand,  it  will  be  largely  to  divert  the 
dangers  of  Carlism.  And  then,  no  man  can  say  what 
will  follow."  He  spoke  with  apparently  deep  earnest- 
ness of  manner  ;  and  as  he  finished,  a  clerk  came  with  a 
paper  which  caused  him  to  end  the  interview  and  send 
me  away,  urging  me  to  see  him  again  shortly. 

I  had  scarcely  been  more  impressed  by  any  event  in 
my  life  than  by  that  interview,  and  for  all  he  had  said 
in  explanation,  the  reason  for  his  conduct  was  a  mystery  ; 
and  a  mystery  which  after  events  were  to  render 
infinitely  deeper,  until  the  hour  when  the  clue  came 
into  my  hands.  I  could  not  shake  off  the  disturbing 
thought  that  throughout  all  he  was  misleading  me  and 
using  me  for  some  presently  unfathomable  purpose. 

But  one  result  was  clear — he  had  given  me  good 
news  to  carry  to  Sarita  ;  and  when  the  time  came  for 
me  to  go  to  Madame  Chansette's  house,  the  thought  of 
Sarita's  pleasure  at  my  news,  and  the  hope  that  I  might 
use  it  to  induce  her  to  leave  this  atmosphere  of  intrigue 
and  danger,  found  my  heart  beating  high. 

Friendship  ripens  as  fast  as  fruit  in  that  sunny  land  ; 
would  she  be  as  glad  to  see  me  again  as  I  to  see  her  ? 
Had  she  been  counting  the  minutes  to  the  time  of  our 
meeting  as  eagerly  as  I  ?  I  asked  myself  the  questions 
as  I  stood  on  the  doorstep  waiting  impatiently  to  be 
shown  to  her. 


CHAPTER  XII 

SARITA'S   WELCOME 

IF  brightening  eyes,  rising  colour  in  the  cheek,  ra- 
diant looks,  smiling  lips  and  the  cordial  clasp  of 
outstretched,  eager  hands  spell  pleasure,  then  as- 
suredly was  Sarita  glad  to  see  me. 

"  We  got  your  message  and  I  have  been  so  impatient," 
she  said,  holding  both  my  hands  in  hers.  "  And  yet  so 
anxious." 

It  was  good  to  look  on  her  again  ;  to  feel  the  subtle 
sweetness  of  her  presence  ;  to  listen  to  her  voice  ;  to 
watch  the  play  of  feelings  as  each  left  its  mark  on  her 
expressive  features  ;  to  touch  her  hand  and  have  it 
left  all  trustfully  in  mine  ;  to  have  the  sunlight  of  her 
smiling  eyes  warming  my  heart  ;  to  revel  in  the  thou- 
sand essences  of  delight  which  spread  around  her.  Ah 
me.  Life  is  good,  and  youth  and  beauty  are  good,  also  ; 
but  love  is  best  of  all.  And  my  heart  told  me  as  I 
gazed  at  her  how  intensely  and  deeply  I  loved  her,  and 
what  a  charm  there  was  in  the  mere  loving.  But  these 
thoughts  do  not  help  the  tongue  to  frame  common- 
places. 

"  It  is  good  to  be  with  you  again,  Sarita  ; "  was  all 
I  said  for  some  moments ;  and  we  just  laughed  and 
made  believe  that  this  was  as  good  as  the  most  spar- 
kling and  brilliant  conversation  that  ever  wisdom  con- 
ceived and  wit  clothed  in  phrase. 

And  for  all  our  silence  I  believe  we  understood  one 
another  better  than  ever  before.  To  me  I  know  that 


i34    SARI  T  A,    THE    CARLIST 

the  moments  of  inarticulate  nothingism  were  more  elo- 
quent in  meaning  than  any  words  ;  for  somehow  by 
that  subtle  instinct  or  affinity,  that  strange  other  sense 
that  has  no  physical  attribute  and  is  all  alert  and  power- 
ful at  times  in  the  best  as  in  the  worst  of  us,  I  felt  I 
did  not  love  in  vain,  but  that  this  woman,  peerless  to 
me  among  women,  who  held  my  hands  and  smiled  to 
me  with  all  the  witchery  of  loveliness,  was  swayed  by 
some  of  the  same  weird,  delightful,  thrilling,  tantalis- 
ing emotions  which  bewildered  me. 

What  stayed  me  I  know  not  ;  but  the  swift,  sudden, 
rushing  temptation  seized  me  to  draw  her  to  my  heart 
and  whisper  some  of  the  love  thoughts  that  were  whirl- 
ing with  mad  ecstacy  in  my  brain  ;  and  when  I  paused 
as  though  greatly  daring  and  yet  not  daring  enough,  I 
think  my  heart  must  have  spoken  straight  to  hers,  for 
with  a  vivid  blush,  she  shrank,  cried  "  No,  no,"  tore 
her  hands  from  mine  and,  breaking  away,  ran  swiftly  to 
the  end  of  the  room,  and  stood,  her  flashing  pride  laid 
by,  palpitating,  trembling  and  glancing  at  me  like  a 
timid  child. 

A  long  hush  fell  upon  us,  and  when  it  had  passed,  I 
had  retaken  control  of  my  emotions  and  was  myself 
again.  But  in  that  instant  I  know  that  our  hearts 
spoke  and  were  laid  bare  each  to  the  other. 

"  I  bring  you  some  very  strange  news,  Sarita.  Per- 
haps the  last  you  would  expect." 

"  From  England  ?  " 

"  No,  it  was  waiting  here  in  Madrid,  though  I 
brought  out  from  London  something  that  might  have 
influenced  it." 

"  That  is  very  clear,"  she  laughed. 

"  Sebastian  Quesada  has  decided  to  make  restitution 


SARITA'S    WELCOME     135 

of  your  fortune,"  I  said  looking  for  some  sign  of  sur- 
prise. But  she  gave  none,  and  after  reflecting  an  in- 
stant said  : 

"  You  have  seen  him  before  coming  here  ?" 

"  I  went  to  him  to  try  and  force  the  act  Of  restitu- 
tion on  the  strength  of  some  news  I  had  learned,  and 
he  forestalled  me  by  announcing  his  intention  to  make 
it." 

"  He  is  very  shrewd ;  but  how  did  he  know  that  you 
had  this  news  ? " 

"  That  occurred  to  me  ;  but  I  don't  see  how  he  could 
have  known  it." 

"  You  are  no  match  for  him,  Ferdinand.  But  there 
is  no  merit  in  his  act  even  if  sincere.  He  did  not  say 
the  matter  was  already  completed  and  the  papers  ex- 
ecuted, did  he  ? " 

"  It  will  be  made  as  soon  as  the  formalities  can  be 
complied  with." 

She  laughed  again  and  shook  her  head  sceptically. 

"  It  is  a  safe  promise — for  he  knows." 

"  Knows  what  ?  " 

"  What  will  happen — before  the  formalities  will  be 
complied  with."  Her  tone  was  thoughtful,  and  very 
serious  ;  and  she  sighed. 

"  I  think  I  know  what  you  mean,  and  I  am  glad  to  be 
in  time."  She  was  leaning  her  face  on  her  hand,  and 
lifted  it  to  look  up  in  surprise.  "  I  want  to  warn  you, 
too,  Sarita — I  know  you  are  in  danger — and  to  urge 
you  to  abandon  this." 

"  You  think  I  am  in  danger  ?  Ah,  Ferdinand,  you  do 
not  know  the  under-currents.  What  do  you  think  my 
real  danger  is  ?  " 

"  I  know  you  are  in  danger  of  arrest  ;  and  I  urge  you 
to  come  to  England  and  be  free." 


136     SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"  Would  that  be  serving  my  country  and  my  cause  ?  " 

"It  would  be  serving  your  family."  She  laughed, 
and  the  music  of  her  laughter  was  indescribably  sweet. 

"  Family,"  she  repeated,  half-mischievously,  half- 
earnestly.  "  I  believe  you  are  very  much  in  earnest, 
Ferdinand,  and  I  forgive  you.  I  am  not  quite  sure 
you  are  not  foolish.  But  if  anyone  else  said  that,  do 
you  think  I  could  hear  another  syllable  from  them  ? 
It  is  a  counsel  of  treachery  ;  and  such  counsel  comes 
ill  from  the  lips  of  a  friend." 

"You  allow  now  that  I  am  a  friend  then  ?" 

"  How  solemn  you  English  are,  when — when  you  are 
solemn  !"  she  cried,  smiling  again.  "Do  I  think  you 
are  a  friend  ?  Yes,  I  do,  in  all  truth.  I  know  it.  We 
shall  not  quarrel  again.  I  believe  you  are  so  much 
my  friend  that,  if  I  would  let  you,  you  would  ruin 
yourself  for  me.  That  is  how  you  would  read  friend- 
ship and  how  I  read  you.  But  I  will  not  let  my  family 
do  that." 

"  And  how  may  I  read  you  ? "  I  said,  quickly. 

"  How  do  you.  read  me  ? "  she  retorted,  with  unwonted 
eagerness. 

"  How  would  you  have  me  read  you  ?  " 

"  How  would  I  have  you  read  me  ?  "  She  paused, 
glanced  away,  and  then,  looking  me  straight  in  the  eyes, 
answered  seriously  and  meaningly.  "  As  what  I  am, 
not  as  what  I  might  have  been.  You  of  all  the  world 
must  not  make  the  mistake  of  confusing  the  two." 

"  I  do  not  mistake.  What  you  might  have  been  is 
what  you  shall  be,  Sarita,"  I  said,  earnestly — so 
earnestly  that  the  expression  in  her  eyes  changed 
slightly,  and  she  turned  them  away  and  started,  and  I 
thought  she  trembled.  She  knew  my  meaning  ;  and 


SARITA'S    WELCOME     137 

after  a  moment  or  two,  in  which  she  had  forced  under 
the  feelings  that  seemed  to  have  surprised  herself,  she 
said  calmly  and  almost  formally — 

"  I  will  tell  you  what  I  think  you  do  not  know.  I  am 
in  no  real  danger,  for  I  am  all  but  pledged  to  marry — 
Sebastian  Quesada  !  "  Her  firmness  scarcely  lasted  to 
the  end  of  the  sentence,  and  she  uttered  the  last  words 
as  if  looking  for  some  expostulation  from  me  ;  but  I 
made  none.  Instead,  I  laughed  and  shook  my  head. 
I  would  not  take  it  seriously. 

"There  is  much  virtue  in  that  'all  but.'"  She 
seemed  surprised  and  in  a  sense  disappointed  at  my 
reception  of  the  news. 

"It  is  true.  I  have  three  days  left  to  give  my 
answer.  He  gave  me  a  week." 

"  He  might  as  well  have  given  you  an  hour — or  a 
year.  It's  all  the  same.  It  will  never  be  more  than 
'  all  but.'  There  are  those  who  will  never  allow  it." 

"  Allow  ?  "  she  cried  with  a  start,  the  glance  of  sur- 
prise ending  in  a  smile. 

"  For  one  thing  your  family  would  bring  pressure 
upon  you,"  I  answered,  gravely. 

"  Family,  again,"  and  the  smile  deepened,  and  then 
died  away,  as  she  added,  "  But  do  you  know  what  the 
marriage  would  mean  to  me  ?  " 

"  I  know  what  it  would  mean  to  Quesada.  He  would 
never  live  to  lead  you  to  the  altar,  Sarita." 

"  You  would  not  do  anything  so  mad  ?  " 

"  I  am  not  the  only  man  in  Madrid  who  would  stop 
such  a  marriage.  You  have  sown  passion,  the  harvest 
may  be  death."  For  a  moment  she  looked  troubled, 
then  her  face  cleared  and  grew  very  serious. 

"You  mean  Juan   Livenza.     Yes,  he    is  dangerous  ; 


J38     SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

but  he  is  only  a  man  ;  and  after  all  Sebastian  Quesada's 
man." 

"  Is  Quesada  more  than  a  man,  and  proof  against 
revenge  ? " 

"  I  cannot  tell  you  all  there  is  in  this  ;  nor  all  that 
the  marriage  would  mean  to  me."  This  perplexed  me. 
Her  face  was  almost  stern  as  she  spoke,  and  after  a 
moment's  pause,  she  exclaimed  with  a  gesture  of  im- 
patience and  irresolution  :  "  Don't  question  me.  It 
must  be." 

"  You  have  seen  Quesada  while  I  have  been  away." 
It  was  really  a  question,  but  I  said  it  as  though  stating 
a  fact. 

"  I  told  you  he  had  given  me  a  week  for  my  reply." 

"  And  you  would  marry  him — loving  another  ?  " 
The  colour  that  rushed  to  her  cheeks  was  as  much  a 
flush  of  pain  as  of  surprise.  For  an  instant  her  burn- 
ing eyes  met  mine  in  indignant  protest  and  repudiation, 
but  they  fell  before  my  steady  gaze.  I  think  she  read 
the  resolve  that  ruled  me  now,  and  feared  it. 

"  You  have  no  right  to  speak  like  this  to  me,"  she 
said  ;  but  there  was  neither  life  nor  force  in  her  words, 
and  her  voice  faltered. 

"  On  the  contrary,  .1  have  the  best  of  all  rights. 
And  you  know  this."  She  made  an  effort  to  assert 
herself  then.  Drawing  herself  up,  she  met  my  gaze 
steadily,  and  said  in  a  tone  she  sought  to  make  indig- 
nant : 

"  What  right  do  you  mean  ?  " 

For  the  space  of  a  dozen  quickened  heart-beats  we 
faced  each  other  thus,  and  then  I  said,  in  a  tone  that 
thrilled  with  the  passion  in  me  : 

"  I  love  you,  and  I  am  the  man  you  love,  Sarita,  and 


SARITA'S  WELCOME     139 

by  the  God  that  made  us  both,  I  swear  no  other  man 
shall  call  you  wife." 

The  masterfulness  of  my  love  conquered  her,  and 
with  a  low  cry  she  broke  away,  sank  into  a  seat  near, 
and  sat  trembling,  her  face  hidden  in  her  hands.  Love's 
instinct  prompted  me  then  to  act,  while  my  passion 
mastered  her.  I  placed  my  arms  about  her,  lifted  her 
to  her  feet,  took  her  hands  from  her  face  and  kissed 
her. 

"  Do  you  think  I  will  lose  you,  Sarita,  in  the  very 
moment  our  love  has  spoken."  At  the  touch  of  my  lips 
she  trembled  violently,  and  with  a  cry  of  love,  she 
wound  her  arms  round  my  neck.  As  her  head  found 
love's  shelter  on  my  shoulder,  my  passion  burst  all 
control  and  found  expression  in  a  lava  of  words,  hot, 
burning,  incoherent,  tumultuous  and  vehement,  poured 
forth  in  the  delirious  madness  of  the  moment  of  love's 
triumph. 

We  were  standing  there,  still  passion-locked,  when  a 
most  unwelcome  interruption  came.  The  door  was 
opened,  and  Colonel  Juan  Livenza  was  shown  into  the 
room. 

He  stopped  on  the  threshold,  his  face  livid  with  the 
rage  that  blazed  up  in  his  eyes  at  what  he  saw,  and 
struggling  for  an  instant  to  regain  sufficient  self-control 
to  trust  himself  to  speak,  he  said  in  a  voice  husky  and 
hoarse  with  rage  : 

"  Your  pardon  ;  my  arrival  is  inopportune  ;  "  and 
with  a  bow  and  a  look  of  deadly  hate  and  menace  at 
me,  he  went  out  and  closed  the  door  behind  him. 

Sarita,  who  had  drawn  herself  hurriedly  from  my 
arms,  turned  pale  and  gazed  at  the  shut  door,  trembling 
with  agitation  and  distress. 


SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"I  have  sown  passion,  and  the  harvest  will  be  death," 
she  murmured,  repeating  my  words.  "  Heaven  have 
mercy  upon  us." 

"  Or  upon  him,"  I  answered.  "  But  we  need  not  take 
it  quite  so  seriously.  Come,  sweetheart,"  and  I  held 
out  my  arms  to  her. 

"  No,  no,  no.  It  can  never  be,  Ferdinand.  I  was 
mad,"  she  cried  distractedly. 

"  It  was  a  very  sweet  madness,  and  shall  last  our  life- 
time," I  answered,  but  she  would  not  let  me  place  my 
arm  round  her  again.  "  As  you  will,"  I  said,  gently. 
"The  knowledge  of  your  love  is  all  in  all  to  me. 
The  rest  I  can  trustfully  leave  to  time." 

"  You  must  go,  Ferdinand.  I  forgot  that  he  was 
coming  this  afternoon.  You  have  made  me  forget 
everything.  Oh,  I  am  mad.  Now,  all  may  be  lost." 
The  words  jarred. 

"  Lost,"  I  cried  ;  and  then  a  sudden  divination  of  her 
meaning  and  of  Livenza's  visit  flashed  into  my  mind. 
"  He  was  coming,  of  course,  for  this  business  of  the 
day  after  to-morrow — but  you  will  abandon  that  now, 
Sarita  ? " 

"  How  did  you  know  ?  Is  it  guess  or  knowledge  ?  " 
and  her  startled  eyes  and  parted  lips  told  of  her  sur- 
prise. 

"  I  was  with  Quesada  this  morning,"  I  answered,  the 
words  coming  in  obedience  to  an  impulse  that  I  could 
neither  account  for  nor  resist. 

"  I  am  afraid  of  you,  Ferdinand.  How  do  you  learn 
these  things  ?  How  much  do  you  know  ?" 

"  My  dear  one,  you  are  playing  with  weapons  of 
death,  and  with  men  who  will  but  use  and  then  fool 
you.  Your  one  chance  of  safety  and  of  happiness  lies 


SARITA'S    WELCOME     141 

in  trusting  me.  Leave  all  this  seething  maelstrom  of 
intrigue,  and  come  with  me  away  from  it  all."  I 
pleaded  with  all  the  force  at  command  and  with  all  the 
power  of  love  to  back  the  appeal. 

But  my  note  was  a  wrong  one.  Sarita,  my  love, 
would  have  yielded,  but  Sarita,  the  Carlist,  was  still  the 
stronger  ;  and  my  appeal  fell  on  ears  deadened  by  the 
calls  of  her  patriotism  and  the  cause  she  loved  so  fanat- 
ically. She  grew  less  and  less  in  sympathy  as  I 
pleaded. 

"You  must  not  tempt  me  to  treachery,  Ferdinand, 
and  I  cannot,  I  dare  not,  I  will  not  listen.  I  should 
despise  myself.  Remember  what  I  told  you  when  first 
we  met.  You  came  too  late." 

"  I  will  not  hear  that.  I  will  not  let  you  be  sacrificed. 
You  are  mine,  Sarita,  bound  to  me  by  the  bonds  of  our 
love  !  and,  come  what  may,  I  will  save  you  from  this, 
despite  yourself." 

"  Do  you  think  I  heed  myself  in  such  a  cause  ?  Then 
you  little  know  me.  What  you  ask  is  impossible — the 
one  thing  in  all  the  world  you  should  ever  ask  of  me  in 
vain,  Ferdinand,  But  this  I  cannot  grant." 

"  I  will  not  take  that  answer.  I  know  you  to  be  in 
far  deeper  peril  than  you-  dream.  If  this  scheme  for 
abducting  the  King  were  to  succeed,  how  would  you 
profit  ?  Can't  you  see  the  master-craft  that  is  directing 
all :  the  wires  that  make  you  all  no  more  than  the  pup- 
pets of  the  man  who  does  nothing  without  a  purpose, 
and  everything  for  the  one  purpose  of  his  own  good. 
If  Spain  were  kingless  to-morrow,  who  would  gain  ? 
You  Carlists  ?  To  the  winds  with  such  a  dream.  When 
has  Quesada  lent  himself  to  a  cause  which  was  not  for 
his  own  advantage  ?  Have  you  asked  yourself  this  ? 


H2    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

How  would  he  stand  to  gain  by  any  such  change  ? 
What  were  his  words  to  me  to-day  ?  By  heaven,  I 
begin  to  see  his  master-stroke  now.  You  are  his  dupe, 
Sarita,  nothing  but  his  dupe.  You  told  me  once  you 
knew  his  heart — aye,  but  you  have  not  yet  measured 
the  height  of  his  ambition?  To  'overset  one  feeble 
family  in  order  to  set  up  another ' — that  was  his  phrase. 
Where,  then,  is  his  profit  in  this  ?  He  lets  you  think 
you  have  won  him  over  through  his  love  for  you ; 
that  you  know  his  heart  ;  that  he  will  help  you  for  this 
coup  if  you  in  return  will  be  his  wife.  Sarita,  are  you 
blind  ?  What  think  you  is  the  meaning  of  the  careful 
network  of  preparations  to  strike  at  all  you  Carlists  ? 
What  are  those  copious  lists  of  names  already  in  the 
hands  of  his  agents?  To  help  you  Carlists,  or  to 
crush  you  ?  By  God,"  I  cried,  passionately,  as  a  great 
light  burst  in  on  me — "  I  see  the  object.  He  would 
have  the  young  King  out  of  his  path  ;  and  yours  are 
the  hands  by  which  it  shall  be  done.  And  when  you 
have  done  it,  do  you  dream  that  he  will  help  to  set  up 
another  King  ?  What  would  be  his  chance  ?  Picture 
it.  Once  the  young  King  were  away,  who  would  be 
supreme  in  this  Spain  of  yours  ?  Who  is  the  most 
powerful  man  to-day  ?  To  whom  would  the  eyes  of  the 
people  turn  in  the  hour  of  kingless  crisis  ?  To  him  or 
to  Don  Carlos  ?  No,  no,  I  tell  you  his  power  in  that 
moment  would  be  all  but  supreme,  and  he  would  use 
it  to  crush  relentlessly  you  very  Carlists  whom  he  had 
used  to  clear  the  way  for  him.  Surely,  surely,  you 
can  see  now  that  you  would  be  the  dupe  and  naught 
else,  and  that  he  aims  at  securing  power  that  shall 
be  nothing  less  than  supreme." 

Sarita  listened  to   my  rapid,   excited   speech   with 


SARITA'S  WELCOME     143 

gradually  paling  cheek,  and  when  I  finished,  her  breath 
was  coming  fast  and  her  eyes  shining  brightly. 

"  If  I  thought  that,  I'd But  no,  Ferdinand,  he 

dare  not,  he  dare  not,"  she  exclaimed,  in  quick,  bated 
tones. 

"  Dare  not — Sebastian  Quesada  ?  "  I  cried,  incredu- 
lously. 

"  Dare  not.  A  hundred  daggers  would  flash  at  his 
heart." 

"  Aye,  but  the  hundred  hands  that  could  thrust  them 
would  be  rotting  in  his  prisons." 

"  It  is  impossible,  impossible,  impossible.  I  won't 
believe  it ;  but  I  must  have  time  to  think.  You  mad- 
den me.  I  am  fevered  and  frozen  in  turns  by  the 
thoughts  you  kindle,  I  must  have  time." 

"  Let  me  make  a  last  appeal,  Sarita.  Marry  me  and 
come  away.  Leave  all " 

"  No,  no,"  she  broke  in,  passionately.  "  I  cannot. 
I  cannot.  This  is  no  problem  that  a  coward's  flight 
can  solve." 

"  Well  then,  postpone  this  attempt  on  the  young 
King  until  you  have  had  time  to  inquire  and  search 
and  think." 

"  I  cannot  think  now.  I  will  see  you  to-morrow — or 
better,  will  think  over  all  and  write  you." 

"  No,  I  will  come  to-morrow,"  I  said.  "  Promise 
you  will  see  me." 

"  If  I  am  in  Madrid,  I  promise,"  she  said  ;  and  with 
that,  seeing  how  deeply  she  was  agitated,  I  thought  it 
best  to  leave. 

"  One  word,  not  from  counsellor  this,  but  from  your 
lover,  Sarita.  The  knowledge  we  have  gained  of  each 
other  to-day,  is  knowledge  for  all  our  time.  My  love 


144    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

can  never  change  ;  neither  will  yours,  that  I  know. 
To-morrow,  it  will  be  the  lover  who  will  come  to  you, 
sweetheart.  I  shall  have  all  in  readiness  for  our  de- 
parture. Till  to-morrow,  good-bye."  I  took  her  hand 
and  tried  to  kiss  her,  but  she  would  not  suffer  me,  and 
when  I  looked  in  her  eyes,  I  saw,  to  my  consternation, 
they  were  full  of  tears.  Knowing  how  intensely  she 
must  be  excited  and  agitated  to  shed  tears,  and  that  it 
would  distress  her  still  more  for  me  to  remain  and  see 
her  weakness,  I  turned  away  and  went  out. 

I  was  scarcely  less  excited  than  Sarita,  and,  driving 
at  once  to  my  rooms,  sent  a  messenger  with  a  note  to 
Silas  Mayhew,  asking  him  to  come  to  me  without  fail  in 
two  hours'  time,  and  sat  down  to  try  and  clear  the  tan- 
gle of  my  thoughts.  I  had  guessed  much  of  the  des- 
perate intrigue  that  lay  behind  the  abduction  plot,  and 
felt  that  I  had  guessed  rightly  the  part  which  Sebastian 
Quesada  was  playing.  But  there  was  more  that  I  did 
not  know,  and  I  had  to  learn  it  if  the  project  was  yet 
to  be  thwarted  and  his  scheme  exposed. 

More  instantly  pressing  than  all,  too,  was  the  grave 
question  of  Juan  Livenza's  intentions.  The  look  he 
had  cast  at  me  had  murder  in  it,  and  I  must  find  him 
and  let  him  do  what  he  would  at  once.  It  was  for  this 
I  needed  my  friend  Mayhew's  help.  I  dined  in  my 
rooms,  and  sat  pondering  the  puzzle  and  piecing  to- 
gether the  ends  until  I  began  to  see  the  meaning  of  it 
all. 

While  I  was  thus  engaged,  a  note  came  from  Quesada, 
couched  in  the  usual  informal,  friendly  terms,  and 
pressing  me,  in  his  and  his  sister's  name,  to  go  and  see 
them  that  evening,  and  adding  that  he  had  something 
particular  to  tell  me.  I  scribbled  a  reply  that  I  had  an 


SARITA'S    WELCOME     145 

engagement,  and  had  just  despatched  it  when  Mayhew 
arrived. 

He  came  in,  smiling  and  whistling,  with  a  light  ques- 
tion on  his  lips  ;  but,  seeing  the  look  on  my  face,  he 
stopped  abruptly,  and  his  face  grew  serious  as  mine. 

"  What's  the  matter  ?     What  has  happened  ?" 

"I  can't  tell  you  everything,  Silas,  but  I'm  in  the 
thick  of  a  quarrel,  I  fancy,  and  may  want  you  to  see 
me  through  with  it.  The  man  is  that  Colonel  Juan 
Livenza  I  have  spoken  to  you  about,  and  I  want  you  to 
come  with  me  this  evening  when  I  put  myself  in  his 
way  to  see  what  follows." 

"I'll  come,  of  course;  but  I  hope  it's  not  really 
serious." 

"  I  don't  know  how  serious  ;  but  I  shall  know  within 
an  hour  or  two.  He  goes  a  good  deal  to  the  Cafe  de 
1'Europe,  and  I  am  going  there  now  in  the  hope  of 
meeting  him." 

I  was  too  sensible  of  the  gravity  of  the  matter  in 
hand  to  have  any  mind  for  mere  commonplace  con- 
versation, and  Mayhew,  seeing  this,  fell  in  with  my 
mood.  We  walked  in  silence  most  of  the  way  to  the 
Cafe  de  1'Europe,  but  when  the  place  came  in  sight  I 
took  my  friend's  arm,  and  began  to  chat  much  in  my 
usual  manner.  It  occurred  to  me  that  Livenza  might 
see  us,  and  I  was  unwilling  to  let  anything  in  my  con- 
duct display  a  marked  difference  from  my  usual  de- 
meanour. 

We  pushed  up  the  broad  steps  and  into  the  magnifi- 
cent room  that  all  Madrid  knows  and  admires,  but 
there  was  no  sign  of  Livenza  ;  and,  having  assured 
ourselves  of  that,  we  went  on  into  the  smaller  saloon 
used  by  certain  of  the  constant  frequenters  of  the 


146   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

place.  He  was  there,  sitting  at  a  table  with  a  couple 
of  friends,  away  to  the  right  of  the  door. 

I  did  not  appear  to  notice  him,  but  led  Mayhew  to  a 
table  at  some  distance  from  him,  and  called  a  waiter. 
It  was  not  my  cue  to  force  any  quarrel.  I  designed 
merely  to  give  Livenza  an  opportunity  of  doing  so  if 
he  wished.  Acting  on  a  hint  from  me,  Mayhew  placed 
his  chair  so  that  he  could  keep  the  three  at  the  other 
table  under  observation,  and,  having  given  an  order, 
we  lighted  our  cigars  and  began  to  chat  quietly, 

"  He  has  seen  you,"  said  Mayhew,  after  a  minute  or 
two,  "  and  is  speaking  of  us  to  the  men  with  him. 
They  are  getting  up,  and,  I  think,  are  coming  over 
to  us.  His  face  is  livid,  Ferdinand,  and  his  eyes  are 
burning  like  those  of  a  man  with  a  fever.  What's  he 
going  to  do  ?  Yes,  they  are  moving  this  way." 

I  pulled  myself  together,  continued  to  smoke  calmly, 
and,  leaning  forward,  went  on  chatting  unconcernedly 
as  I  waited  for  the  approach  of  the  man  whose  heart,  I 
knew,  was  a  very  furnace  of  rage  and  jealous  hate  of 
me.  And  I  will  confess  it  was  a  tense,  exciting  moment. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE   FIGHT 

THE  Red  Saloon  at  the  Cafe  de  1'Europe,  as  the 
room  they  were  in  was  termed,  was  a  well-fre- 
quented resort,  and  at  that  hour  in  the  evening 
was  generally  full  of  visitors.  But  that  night  there  were 
more  empty  tables  than  usual,  and  at  one  of  these,  quite 
close  to  us,  Livenza  and  his  two  companions  stopped 
and  sat  down.  They  were  well  within  earshot,  and 
Mayhew,  after  a  warning  glance  to  me,  began  to  speak 
on  indifferent  subjects. 

I  did  not  for  a  moment  understand  Livenza's  inten- 
tion, but  it  was  soon  made  unmistakably  clear.  When 
the  three  had  ordered  some  fresh  drinks,  they  began  to 
speak  on  the  topic  which  was  in  all  Spaniards'  thoughts 
at  the  moment — the  strain  with  the  United  States  and 
the  probable  action  of  England.  The  conversation 
began  quietly,  and  Livenza  himself  took  no  part  in  it 
for  some  minutes.  The  references  to  England  grew 
gradually  more  bitter,  however,  until  Mayhew  was  get- 
ting restive. 

"There'll  be  a  row  if  we  stop  here,"  he  leant  forward 
and  whispered.  "  And  you  know  how  urgent  the  chief 
is  about  not  getting  into  a  mess." 

"Wait,"  I  whispered  back.     "This  is  only  a  blind." 

"Well,  they're  talking  at  us  right  enough,  and  I  don't 
like  it." 


148   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"  I  don't  want  to  drag  you  into  it.  If  there's  anyone 
here  you  know,  go  and  chat  with  him  for  ten  minutes  ; 
but  don't  leave  the  room." 

"  Hullo,  there's  Pezzia,"  he  exclaimed  aloud  a 
moment  later.  "  I  haven't  seen  him  for  an  age.  Ex- 
cuse me,  Carbonnell  ; "  and  he  got  up  and  went  to  a 
table  at  a  distance. 

I  heard  one  of  the  three  snigger,  and  mutter  some- 
thing about  discretion  and  that  kind  of  courage  which 
saves  the  skin  by  prudent  flight.  But  fortunately 
Mayhew  heard  nothing,  and  I  took  no  notice.  There 
was  a  paper  lying  near,  and  I  picked  it  up  and  began 
to  read. 

Without  any  conscious  intention,  I  turned  to  the 
paragraph  of  Court  gossip  for  any  news  of  the  young 
King's  movements,  and  my  attention  was  instantly 
caught  and  held  by  the  following  : — 

"  We  have  reason  to  state  that  His  Majesty  and  the 
Queen  Regent  have  been  much  touched  and  gratified 
by  the  evidences  of  devoted  and  affectionate  loyalty 
displayed  by  the  Madrid  populace  during  the  recent 
unattended  drives  in  the  streets  and  suburbs  of  the 
capital.  These  drives  are  taken  with  no  more  ostenta- 
tion than  those  of  any  private  citizen,  and  their  un- 
ceremonious character  affords  eloquent  proof  of  the 
mutual  trust  and  affection  which  exist  between  the 
Royal  Family  and  the  people.  They  are  quite  uncere- 
monious. The  route  is  frequently  decided  only  at  the 
last  moment,  and  the  statement  of  a  contemporary  that, 
although  seemingly  no  precautions  are  taken,  the  whole 
route  is  under  close  police  supervision,  has  no  founda- 
tion. Yesterday,  for  instance,  the  route  as  first  planned 
was  changed  almost  at  the  instant  of  starting,  and  thus 


T  H  E  F  I  G  H  T  149 

no  such  precautions  could  have  been  taken  even  had 
they  been  necessary.  But  the  Royal  Family  rely  upon 
the  loyalty  of  their  subjects,  and,  thank  God,  do  not 
rely  in  vain.  Wherever  the  young  King  is  seen,  the 
populace  hail  him  with  delight,  cheer  him  from  the 
heart,  and  would  protect  him  with  their  lives.  Every 
day  sees  his  hold  upon  the  affections  of  his  subjects 
strengthen,  and  nothing  could  more  clearly  prove  this 
than  the  spontaneous  evidence  of  Madrid's  loyalty 
which  these  unceremonious  incidents  evoke.  It  is  well 
known,  too,  that  the  trust  in  the  people  thus  displayed 
had  its  origin  in  the  suggestion  of  a  powerful  minister 
who,  better  than  any  of  our  countrymen,  can  gauge  the 
stalwart,  gallant  loyalty  of  the  Spain  of  to-day  to  the 
Monarchy,  even  in  the  midst  of  a  national  crisis  such 
as  the  present." 

I  was  so  engrossed  by  this,  and  by  the  thoughts  it 
stirred — for  I  saw  intuitively  what  it  might  mean  to  the 
scheme  for  the  young  King's  abduction,  and  I  read 
between  the  lines  the  cunning  work  of  Quesada — that 
for  the  moment  I  lost  touch  with  the  proceedings  of 
Livenza  and  his  companions ;  but  a  remark  from  him 
brought  me  back  in  a  trice. 

"  Ugh,  they  make  me  sick,  these  English,  with  their 
lying  hypocrisy  and  their  insolent  cant  about  God  and 
their  everlasting  bibles.  I  can  stand  an  American — he 
is  at  least  an  honest  man  and  an  open  enemy  ;  but 
your  Englishman  is  all  frothy  godliness  on  the  top, 
and  rottenness,  lies,  and  cowardice  beneath." 

One  of  his  companions  laughed,  and  the  other  said — 

"  That's  pretty  strong,  colonel,  and  sounds  almost 
personal." 

"  It  is  personal,  too,  for  there  is  just  such  a  fellow  in 


i5o    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

Madrid  at  the  present  moment.  A  sneaking,  lying, 
treacherous  cur,  ready  to  yap  at  you  from  a  safe  dis- 
tance, but,  when  faced,  all  in  a  quiver,  sticks  his  tail 
between  his  legs  and  runs  yelping  behind  a  woman's 
skirts,  or  some  such  safe  shelter.  Like  the  rest  of  the 
cowards,  he  has  kept  out  of  my  way  for  fear  of  getting 
his  ears  boxed  ;  but  all  Madrid  shall  know  of  his  cur- 
rishness.  His  name  is " 

I  pushed  my  chair  back  and  stood  up,  and  at  the 
same  instant  the  three  men  sprang  to  their  feet,  while 
the  conversation  at  the  tables  near  us  died  away  and  all 
faces  were  turned  in  our  direction. 

Livenza  was  still  livid  with  his  passion,  save  that  a 
hectic  spot  flushed  each  cheek,  the  surrounding  pallor 
throwing  up  the  crimson  into  strong  relief.  His  eyes 
burned  like  coals  as  he  faced  me,  his  nostrils  dilated, 
and  the  corners  of  his  mouth  were  drawn  down  in  an 
ugly  sneer.  Less  than  an  arm's  length  separated  us. 

"  Oh,  are  you  there  ?"  he  cried,  insolently. 

"  I  think  you  knew  that,"  I  answered,  coolly.  It 
was  generally  my  good  fortune  to  be  able  to  keep  my 
head  in  a  crisis.  My  coolness  exasperated  him. 

"  You  heard  what  I  said,  gentlemen,"  he  cried, 
furiously.  "  This  is  the  Englishman  himself.  I  will 
show  you  how  to  deal  with  a  cur  of  an  Englishman." 

He  was  beside  himself  with  fury,  and  he  raised  his 
hand  to  box  my  ears.  But  the  blow  never  reached  me. 
As  he  raised  his  hand — and  the  whole  room  could  see 
his  intention — I  clenched  my  fist  and  struck  him  in  the 
face.  His  head  was  turned  slightly  on  one  side,  and 
the  blow  caught  him  just  under  the  jaw  on  the  left  side, 
and  so  hard  did  I  hit  him  that  he  was  knocked  off  his 
feet  and  fell  a-sprawl  over  the  table,  scattering  the 
glasses  in  all  directions  with  a  noisy  clatter. 


THE  FIGHT  151 

In  an  instant  the  place  was  in  a  buzzing  uproar,  and 
men  from  all  parts  of  the  room  came  crowding  round, 
while  Mayhew,  white  and  anxious,  rushed  to  my  side. 

"It's  all  right,  Silas,"  I  said,  still  perfectly  calm. 
"  The  brute  insulted  me  grossly,  and  was  going  to 
strike  me  when  I  saved  him  the  trouble.  Some  of 
these  gentlemen  must  have  heard  him." 

At  that  a  tall,  soldierly-looking  man  pressed  forward, 
and  said — 

"  I  heard  it  all,  senor.  It  was  disgraceful.  If  my 
testimony  can  be  of  any  use  to  you,  here  is  my  name  ;  " 
and  he  handed  me  his  card.  He  was  a  Captain  Jose 
Pescada. 

"Thank  you.  I  am  glad  to  have  your  word,"  I 
replied. 

Meanwhile,  Livenza's  friends  picked  him  up  and 
gave  him  some  brandy,  for  the  blow  had  shaken  him 
pretty  considerably  ;  and  after  a  hurried  whisper  to- 
gether one  of  them  left  the  room  with  him  and  the 
other  turned  to  me. 

"  This  matter  cannot  end  here,  of  course,"  he  said. 
"Who  will  act  for  you  ?  " 

"You  mean  you  are  the  bearer  of  a  challenge  from 
Colonel  Livenza  ?  "  He  bowed  formally.  "  If  you  will 
come  to  my  rooms  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour — I  am  going 
there  direct — I  will  have  matters  arranged."  I  gave 
him  the  address,  and  with  a  bow  he  left  me. 

"As  you  witnessed  the  insult,  Captain  Pescada,  can 
you  come  with  me  now  ? "  He  assented  readily,  and 
we  three  drove  to  my  house,  the  captain  loud  and 
angry  in  his  condemnation  of  Livenza's  conduct. 

"  There  is  more  in  this  than  lies  on  the  surface,  gentle- 
men," I  said.  "  There  is  a  very  bitter  quarrel  under- 


152   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

neath  it,  and  Colonel  Livenza  has  chosen  this  ground 
for  bringing  it  to  a  head.  You  will  understand,  there- 
fore, that  the  fight  will  be  no  ordinary  one,  and  no 
doubt  when  his  seconds  come  they  will  bring  an  inti- 
mation that  the  duel  must  be  a  entrance.  I  am  prepared 
for  that,  but  as  I  am  the  challenged  party  I  shall  make 
my  own  conditions.  The  fight  must  take  place 
to-night." 

"  By  the  Cross,  that's  quick  work,"  muttered  the 
captain. 

"  Do  you  really  mean  this,  Carbonnell  ? "  asked 
Mayhew,  nervously. 

"  I  never  meant  anything  more  seriously  in  my  life. 
It  is  a  very  ugly  business,  and  the  sooner  it  is  put 
through  the  better.  My  conditions  are  equally  strin- 
gent. I  am  no  great  hand  with  either  sword  or  pistol, 
and  have  no  intention  to  be  a  target  for  a  man  whose 
skill  is  probably  twenty  times  greater  than  mine.  It  is 
his  profession.  We  will  settle  this  thing  by  luck.  We 
will  face  one  another  across  a  table  ;  of  the  two  pistols, 
one  only  is  to  be  loaded  ;  we  toss  for  choice,  and  the 
winner  of  the  toss  to  fire  first  ;  the  loser,  if  he  draw  the 
loaded  pistol,  to  fire  when  and  how  he  pleases." 

They  both  protested  vigorously, 

"  I  will  fight  on  those  and  no  other  conditions.  He 
has  called  me  a  coward,  and  heaped  every  foul  insult 
on  me  he  could  think  of.  I  believe  he  did  it,  relying 
upon  his  greater  skill.  If  he  is  now  afraid  to  face  the 
chance  of  certain  death,  let  him  do  it.  I  am  not.  I 
will  fight  on  no  other  conditions.  If  he  refuses,  I 
will  brand  him  as  a  coward  publicly." 

They  were  still  endeavouring  to  dissuade  me  when 
Livenza's  two  seconds  arrived,  and  I  left  all  four  to- 


THE  FIGHT  153 

gather.  For  an  hour  they  wrangled,  and  then  the  two 
went  away  to  consult  their  principal,  and  another  hour 
passed  before  they  returned  and  announced  that  their 
principal  had  consented,  but  under  the  strongest  pro- 
test. 

Then  came  the  question  where  the  duel  should  be 
fought,  and,  when  Mayhew  asked  me,  I  said  at  once 
that  the  fittest  place  would  be  Colonel  Livenza's  own 
house,  150,  Calle  de  Villanueva  ;  and  in  making  this 
choice  I  had  in  my  thoughts  the  incidents  which  had 
occurred  there  on  the  night  of  my  arrival  in  Madrid. 
To  this  Captain  Pescada  objected  on  the  ground  that  it 
was  most  irregular  for  a  duel  to  take  place  at  the  house 
of  one  of  the  principals,  and  that  it  might  be  to  my  dis- 
advantage. But  this  did  not  turn  me  a  hair's  breadth 
from  my  resolve. 

"  I  am  glad  you  put  it  on  that  ground,  for  then  my 
opponent  can  raise  no  objection.  If  I  am  to  fall,  I 
care  not  a  jot  where  it  happens.  If  my  opponent,  he 
can  ask  no  more  than  to  die  near  his  own  bed,"  I  an- 

F7 
swered,  grimly.     "We  are  wasting  time  ;  let  us  drive 

there  at  once  ;  "  and  in  a  few  minutes  we  were  in  the 
carriage. 

On  the  way  scarce  a  word  was  said  by  anyone.  I 
sat  wrapped  in  my  thoughts,  brooding  over  my  purpose 
and  nursing  with  jealous  care  the  plans  I  had  formed. 
I  was  semi-conscious  of  the  strange  sensation  that  I 
was  acting  in  obedience  to  some  subtle  outside  force 
which  was  impelling  me  to  pursue  my  present  line  of 
conduct.  I  was  saturated  with  the  conviction  that  I 
should  come  unharmed  through  the  fight ;  and  that 
great  consequences  to  me  were  to  follow  from  that 
night's  proceedings. 


154  SARITA,   THE    CARLIST 

The  result  was  an  indescribable  and  indeed  half- 
weird  sense  of  comparative  detachment  from  my  sur- 
roundings. I  was  moving  forward  toward  an  end  of 
tragic  importance  ;  and  the  scene  at  the  Cafe  de  1'Eu- 
rope,  the  insult,  the  blow,  the  strange  preliminaries  of 
the  duel,  the  very  fight  itself,  were  but  so  many  neces- 
sary steps  in  the  due  achievement  of  the  far  greater 
end.  Once,  something  of  this  found  expression.  I 
was  conscious  that  my  good  friend  Mayhew  was  com- 
pletely baffled  by  a  mood  totally  unlike  any  he  had 
ever  seen  me  in  before,  and  I  remember  thinking  that 
when  the  strain  was  over  I  would  reassure  him.  I 
caught  him  looking  wonderingly  at  me,  and  at  length 
he  asked,  solicitously  and  almost  wistfully — 

"  Have  you  any  private  arrangements  you  wish  me 
to  make  ?" 

"There  will  be  none  to  make,  Silas.  There  will  be 
no  need.  Nothing  will  happen  to  me  to  make  them 
necessary."  He  received  the  answer  gravely,  with  a 
nod  of  the  head  and  a  whispered,  "  I  thought  I'd  ask  ; " 
and  looked  at  me  strangely  and  compassionately,  as  a 
man  might  look  at  a  friend  suddenly  bereft  of  his 
senses.  The  look  made  me  conscious  for  a  second 
that  my  words  of  conviction  must  have  sounded  oddly  ; 
but  the  next  instant  the  feeling  passed  and  I  was  again 
considering  how  to  use  the  victory  which  I  felt  I  was 
going  to  win. 

In  my  manner  I  was  perfectly  cool  and  self-possessed, 
and  when  we  reached  the  house  I  led  the  way  up  the 
staircase  to  the  rooms  I  had  been  in  before  ;  and  find- 
ing the  first  room  I  looked  in  empty,  I  said  I  would 
wait  there  while  the  preparations  were  completed. 

The  task  occupied  nearly  an  hour,  I  was  told  after- 


THE  FIGHT  155 

wards,  but  to  me  it  passed  like  half  a  dozen  minutes. 
I  was  reviewing  all  I  knew  of  my  opponent's  character 
and  temper,  searching  for  the  key  which  at  present  I 
could  not  find,  and  still  animated  by  the  irresistible 
conviction  that  I  was  on  the  eve  of  a  discovery  of  vital 
import.  I  had  not  solved  the  problem  when  Captain 
Pescada  came  to  fetch  me. 

"  Everything  has  been  done  as  you  wished,  Senor 
Carbonnell,"  he  said,  calmly,  yet  not  without  some 
nervousness ;  for  the  unusual  and  apparently  deadly 
character  of  the  arrangements  had  affected  him.  "  The 
room  beyond  has  been  selected  ;  two  pistols,  one  loaded 
with  a  blank  cartridge,  lie  on  the  table  covered  by  a 
cloth.  You  and  Colonel  Livenza  will  take  your  places 
at  either  side  of  the  table,  with  the  pistols  between 
you.  A  toss  will  decide  the  choice  and  will  carry  the 
right  to  fire  first.  In  the  choice,  the  pistols  must  not 
be  touched,  but  indicated  merely  by  a  pointed  finger." 

"  Good  ;  I  am  warmly  obliged  to  you,"  I  said  ;  and 
without  even  a  conscious  tremor  or  the  faintest  mis- 
giving, I  went  with  him. 

I  wish  to  disclaim  entirely  any  credit  for  courage  on 
this  occasion.  For  the  moment  I  was  a  fatalist, 
nothing  more.  I  went  into  the  room  possessed  by  the 
irresistible  conviction  that  I  should  leave  it  quite  safe 
and  unhurt ;  and  had  no  more  concern  for  the  issue 
than  if  I  had  been  going  to  keep  a  mere  social  or 
business  engagement.  My  thoughts  were  not  of  my 
safety,  but  how  I  was  to  achieve  that  other  object,  the 
very  nature  of  which  I  did  not  then  know.  I  had  no 
need  of  courage.  I  was  in  no  sort  of  danger  ;  and  by 
some  subtle  instinct  I  knew  this. 

But  it   was   very   different   with   my  opponent.     A 


156   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

glance  at  his  face  told  me  that  he  was  vastly  disturbed. 
The  rage  and  hate  of  me  still  flashed  from  his  eyes  and 
turned  his  cheeks  livid  ;  but  there  was  another  emotion 
besides  these  ;  and  what  it  was,  and  all  that  it  meant 
to  me,  I  was  very  soon  to  see.  I  was  surprised  to 
notice,  too,  that  the  sight  of  him  no  longer  filled  me 
with  any  anger  or  bitterness.  He  had  become  merely 
a  subject  for  close  and  minute  observation.  I  was 
scarcely'  conscious  of  the  presence  of  anyone  else  in 
the  room. 

We  took  our  places  at  the  table  opposite  one  another 
in  silence.  The  fateful  pistols,  covered  by  a  thick  green 
cloth,  lay  between  us  ;  and  two  little  bulges  in  the 
cloth,  one  to  the  right  of  me  and  one  to  the  left,  denoted 
where  they  lay.  I  saw  him  look  swiftly  from  one  to 
the  other  of  them,  and  then  catch  his  breath  slightly. 
That  gesture  was  the  first  indication. 

Then  his  chief  second  broke  the  tense  silence. 

"  We  have  decided  that  Senor  Mayhew  shall  spin 
the  coin  and  Colonel  Livenza  shall  call.  It  is  an  old 
Ferdinand  dollar  with  the  King's  head  ;  and  you  will 
please  call  "  Head  "  or  "  Value."  If  you  are  correct  in 
your  guess,  you  will  point  to  which  pistol  you  choose, 
and  will  then  fire.  If  you  select  the  blank  cartridge, 
Senor  Carbonnell  will  have  the  other  pistol  and  will 
exercise  the  right  to  fire  when  he  pleases.  If  you  lose 
the  toss,  Senor  Carbonnell  will  select  the  pistol  and 
fire,  and  you  will  exercise  the  right  to  fire  when  you 
please.  Are  you  both  agreeable,  gentlemen  ?  " 

We  murmured  our  assent  simultaneously  ;  and  I  saw 
Livenza  catch  his  breath  again,  wince  slightly,  and 
clutch  his  left  hand  nervously — his  second  indication. 

It   was  now  Mayhew's  turn,  and  my  friend  was  so 


THE  FIGHT  157 

agitated  that  his  hands  trembled  and  he  fumbled 
clumsily  with  the  coin,  and  for  a  moment  could  not 
toss  it  up.  But  he  sent  it  flying  up  at  the  second 
attempt,  and  while  it  was  in  the  air  Livenza  should 
have  called.  But  the  word  stuck  in  his  mouth  too  long, 
and  the  coin  fell  with  a  dull  thud  on  the  thick  cloth 
without  his  call. 

"  Something  caught  my  throat,"  he  said,  in  a  low 
apologetic  tone  and  a  shamefaced  manner.  "  I  must 
trouble  you  again,"  he  added  to  Mayhew. 

I  needed  no  more.  I  had  the  clue  I  sought,  and  the 
little  incident  quickened  my  interest. 

Mayhew  spun  it  again,  this  time  with  no  faulty 
preface. 

"  Head,"  called  Livenza,  while  it  was  still  high  in 
air,  and  when  it  came  down  he  could  not  restrain  the 
impulse  to  stoop  forward  eagerly  to  see  the  coin  as  it 
fell.  That  action  brought  his  face  in  a  different  angle 
of  the  light,  and  on  his  brow  I  saw  some  beads  of 
sweat. 

"  It  is  head,"  said  Mayhew.  "  Colonel  Livenza  fires 
first." 

A  gleam  of  satisfaction  lighted  my  opponent's  face, 
followed  instantly,  however,  by  an  expression  of  such 
fateful,  almost  agonising  indecision  as  I  have  never 
seen  on  a  man's  face,  and  hope  never  to  see  again. 
It  was  beyond  his  control  to  hide  it.  He  glanced  from 
one  to  the  other  of  the  spots  where  the  pistols  showed, 
then  closed  his  eyes  ;  his  brow  drew  into  deep  furrows, 
and  he  bit  his  lips  and  clenched  his  hands  as  every 
muscle  and  nerve  in  his  body  seemed  to  grow  suddenly 
rigid  with  the  strain.  Then,  drawing  a  deep  breath 
through  his  dilated  nostrils,  he  flung  out  his  hand  and 


158    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

pointed  toward  the  pistol  on  my  right  and  his  left ; 
while  the  deep  breath  he  had  drawn  escaped  in  a  rush 
through  the  trembling  lips  with  a  sound  that  could  be 
heard  all  over  the  room. 

Captain  Pescada  threw  back  the  covering  cloth, 
handed  Livenza  the  pistol  he  had  chosen,  and  pushed 
the  other  to  me.  I  left  it  lying  on  the  table,  and  the 
next  instant  was  looking  into  Livenza's  eyes  along  the 
barrel  of  his  pistol,  held  none  too  steadily  within  a 
few  feet  of  my  head. 

I  was  conscious  for  a  moment  of  the  four  white  anx- 
ious faces  of  the  men  who  were  watching  us  with  star- 
ing eyes  and  bated  breath,  and  was  kept  at  the  tension 
long  enough  to  feel  a  wish  that  Livenza  would  fire, 
when  the  report  rang  out  and  I  felt  the  hot  blast  of 
the  powder  in  my  face,  and  was  dazzled  by  the  flash  as 
I  realised  that  I  was  unhurt.  I  heard  an  oath  and  a 
groan  of  despair  from  my  opponent,  and  the  first  object 
I  could  see  clearly  was  Livenza,  now  salt-white,  trem- 
bling like  a  man  with  an  ague,  and  swaying  as  he  clung 
to  the  table  for  support. 

So  strong  had  been  my  conviction  of  safety  that  I 
had  passed  through  the  trying  ordeal  without  even  a 
change  of  colour,  so  Mayhew  told  me  afterwards  ;  and 
was  certainly  in  complete  command  of  my  nerves  as  I 
entered  upon  the  second  stage  of  the  grim  drama. 

I  saw  my  way  as  clearly  as  though  written  instruc- 
tions were  actually  in  my  hands.  He  was  a  coward. 
Brave  enough  'for  the  ordinary  routine  matters  of  life 
and  of  his  profession  as  a  soldier,  he  yet  lacked  the 
courage  to  face  the  certain  death  that  was  waiting  for 
him  in  the  barrel  of  the  pistol  lying  to  my  hand  ;  and 
throughout  the  whole  scene  he  had  been  oppressed  and 


THE  REPORT  RANG  OUT  AND  I  REALIZED  THAT 

i  WAS  UNHURT." — Page  158, 


THE  FIGHT  159 

overborne  by  the  fear  of  what  such  a  minute  as  this 
must  mean  for  him.  It  was  through  his  cowardice, 
his  readiness  to  sacrifice  honour  for  life,  that  I  was  to 
win  my  way  to  the  knowledge  I  needed  and  achieve 
my  purpose. 

I  began  the  task  with  studied  cruelty.  I  bent  on 
him  such  a  look  of  stern  hate  and  menace  as  I  could 
assume,  and  dallied  deliberately  with  his  terror  before 
I  even  laid  finger  on  the  pistol  stock.  Then  I  smiled 
as  in  grim  triumph,  and  picking  up  the  pistol  looked 
carefully  at  it,  and  from  it  across  the  space  between 
us  to  him. 

His  fight  for  strength  was  literally  repulsive  to  wit- 
ness. Terror  possessed  him  so  completely  that  both 
nerves  and  muscles  refused  to  obey  the  direction  of 
the  brain,  and  the  pause  I  made  proved  the  breaking 
point  in  his  endurance. 

"  I  can't  stand  ;  give  me  a  chair,"  he  gasped,  pite- 
ously. 

"  Stand  back,  gentlemen,  if  you  please,"  I  thundered, 
when  his  seconds  were  going  to  him  ;  and  the  sound 
of  my  voice  increased  his  already  crushing  fear,  so 
that  he  swayed  and  fell  forward  on  the  table,  like  a 
man  collapsed  in  drink,  his  arms  extended  and  his 
hands  clenched  in  a  veritable  agony  of  despair  and 
terror. 

I  allowed  a  full  thirty  seconds  to  pass  in  a  silence 
that  must  have  been  awesome  for  him,  and  then  let 
drop  the  first  hint  of  hope. 

"  It  is  my  right  to  fire  when  I  please.  I  have  not 
said  I  shall  exercise  it  to-night." 

At  that  I  saw  the  strength  begin  to  move  in  him 
again.  His  fingers  relaxed,  he  drew  his  arms  back  and 


160   SARITA,    THE    CAR  LIST 

then  gradually  his  body,  and  at  length  raised  himself 
slowly  and  looked  at  me — question,  doubt,  fright,  ap- 
peal, hope,  all  struggling  for  expression — a  look  that, 
had  I  been  as  full  of  rage  and  yearning  for  revenge  as 
he  had  been  and  as  he  believed  me  to  be,  would  have 
sufficed  to  stay  my  finger  on  the  trigger  or  have  driven 
me  to  fire  in  the  air.  I  have  never  seen  such  haggard 
misery. 

There  was  another  pause,  in  which  I  looked  at  him, 
my  face  set  apparently  upon  the  execution  of  an  im- 
placable resolve  to  kill  him.  When  it  had  had  its  effect 
and  I  saw  the  grey  shades  of  renewed  despair  falling 
upon  him,  I  said — 

"Gentlemen,  I  will  ask  you  to  withdraw  a  while.  It 
may  be  that  a  way  can  be  found  out  of  this  business 
which  may  lead  to  my  waiving  or  indefinitely  postponing 
my  right.  If  Colonel  Livenza  is  willing,  I  will  speak 
with  him  privately." 

A  hurried  whispered  conference  between  him  and  his 
seconds  followed,  and  then  we  two  were  left  alone. 


CHAPTER    XIV 

A  COWARD'S  STORY 

A7TER  a  very  short  pause  Livenza's  very  shame 
at  his  own  panic  began  to  give  him  a  sort  of 
firmness  of  bravado.  The  worst  about  him  had 
been  made  clear  ;  he  had  shown  that  he  was  afraid  and 
was  willing  to  purchase  his  life ;  and  it  was  a  matter  in 
which  he  must  make  the  best  terms  he  could.  The 
pressure  of  imminent  death  once  removed,  he  could 
breathe  again.  In  the  future  he  was  to  be  my  creature, 
and  he  recognised  it.  That  was  how  I  read  the  sullen, 
scowling  look  he  gave  me  as  he  drew  himself  up  slowly 
and  crossed  his  arms. 

"You  can  sit  down  if  you  wish,"  I  said,  curtly,  in  the 
tone  of  a  master,  to  make  him  feel  my  authority  and  to 
recall  to  him  his  former  craven  appeal. 

"  I  have  no  wish  :  I  can  stand." 

"You  know  your  life  is  forfeit,"  and  I  glanced  at  the 
pistol  in  my  hand,  "  and  that  I  have  the  right  to  send 
the  bullet  crashing  into  your  brain,  if  I  please  ?  " 

He  winced,  and  the  light  of  fear  glanced  again  in  his 
eyes.  I  couldn't  have  shot  him  in  cold  blood,  of  course, 
and  the  thrust  was  a  cruel  one.  But  I  knew  that  he 
could  have  shot  me  under  the  circumstances,  and  that 
he  would  read  my  disposition  by  his  own.  He  was  a 
brute,  and  must  be  treated  as  a  brute. 


162   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"  If  you  mean  to  shoot  me,  do  it,"  he  cried. 

"I  am  willing  to  let  you  purchase  your  life,  but  the 
terms  will  be  heavy." 

"  I  am  in  your  power  and  must  pay  them,"  he  an- 
swered, sullenly,  but  with  unmistakable  relief, 

"  First,  then,  understand  this  :  What  has  passed  here 
to-night  shall  never  be  breathed  by  either  my  friends 
or  myself.  So  far  as  we  are  concerned  your  reputation 
outside  shall  stand  just  where  it  did  when  you  entered 
the  room.  On  that  I  give  you  my  word  of  honour — if 
you  deal  straightly  with  me.  A  sign  of  treachery  or  a 
single  lie  from  you,  and  the  truth  shall  be  told." 

"  I  agree  to  that,  of  course." 

"  Moreover,  my  right  to  fire  this  shot  is  merely  post- 
poned, not  waived.  You  will  put  down  in  writing  what 
will  justify  me  should  your  treachery  ever  make  it 
necessary  for  me  to  shoot  you." 

"  I  will  do  that."  He  was  beginning  to  speak  fluently 
and  readily  now. 

"You  will  now  answer  my  questions.  Are  you  in 
Sebastian  Quesada's  pay  or  in  his  power  ?" 

"  In  his  power.  He  concocted  a  false  charge  against 
me  some  time  ago,  confronted  me  with  the  proofs,  and 
threatened  to  have  me  prosecuted.  I  dare  not  face  the 
charge,  and  from  that  moment  he  has  used  me  for  vari- 
ous tasks." 

"Amongst  them  this  business  of  the  young  King's 
abduction  ?  " 

He  started  violently  as  I  made  this  rather  bold  shot. 

"  What  do  you  know  ? " 

"Everything — except  the  details."  The  reply  was 
perhaps  a  little  exaggeration  ;  but  I  was  guessing  every- 
thing very  fast. 


A    COWARD'S    STORY      163 

'•'  If  he  knows  I  have  spoken  of  it  to  you,  he  will  ruin 
me,  I  might  as  well  be  dead." 

"  He  will  never  know,  unless  you  are  fool  enough  to 
tell  him.  He  sent  you  to  Senorita  Castelar's  house  this 
afternoon  ? " 

"Yes.  He  said  you  would  be  there."  He  was  suffi- 
ciently recovered  now  for  his  private  feelings  to  reas- 
sert themselves  somewhat,  and  there  was  a  gleam  of 
the  old  hate  of  me  in  his  eyes  as  he  gave  the  answer 
which  let  in  such  a  flood  of  additional  light  upon  my 
knowledge  of  Quesada's  treachery.  I  made  another 
long  shot. 

"  He  has  promised  to  help  your  suit  with  the 
senorita  ? " 

"  You  are  the  devil.  You  do  know  everything,  in- 
deed," he  cried.  "Who  are  you  ?" 

"  You  are  to  answer,  not  question,"  I  returned, 
sternly.  It  was  now  as  clear  as  the  sun  at  noonday 
that  Quesada  had  planned  this  quarrel  of  ours,  sending 
Livenza  to  catch  me  with  Sarita,  with  the  certain  as- 
surance that  his  jealousy  would  lead  to  a  duel  in  which 
one  of  us  would  be  certain  either  to  fall  or  to  be  laid  by 
during  the  completion  of  his  plans.  He  stood  to  gain 
almost  equally  by  the  death  of  either.  "  You  took  with 
you  some  final  instructions  about  this  plot ;  what  were 
they  ?  "  I  asked,  after  a  moment's  pause. 

For  the  first  time  he  hesitated,  and  I  saw  the  beads 
of  sweat  standing  thick  on  his  forehead,  as  he  looked  at 
me,  trembling  like  a  blade  of  grass. 

"You  are  asking  me  for  more  than  my  life,"  he  mur- 
mured, his  very  teeth  chattering  in  his  irresolution. 

"Answer  me,  or "  I  thundered,  lifting  the  pistol 

a  few  inches. 


i64  SARITA,   THE    CARLIST 

"  You  will  never  breathe  a  word  of  this  ? "  he  im- 
plored. 

"  Answer  me,"  I  cried  again,  with  implacable  stern- 
ness. 

"  He  gave  me  the  privately  agreed  upon  route  of  His 
Majesty's  drive  for  to-morrow  afternoon."  He  spoke 
in  a  voice  low  and  hoarse,  and  the  sentence  was  broken 
by  three  or  four  pauses,  as  if  the  effort  to  utter  it  was 
almost  beyond  his  strength. 

"  Give  it  me,"  I  said,  instantly. 

"  I — I  dare  not,"  he  answered,  his  voice  no  louder 
than  a  whisper. 

"  Give  it  me,"  I  repeated. 

"  I — I  can  tell  it  you,"  he  said,  after  a  long  pause. 

"  Give  it  me,"  I  cried,  sternly.  "  I  shall  not  ask 
again." 

He  plunged  a  trembling  hand  into  an  inner  pocket, 
and  without  withdrawing  it  gave  me  a  glance  of  pite- 
ous entreaty. 

"  Anything  but  this ! "  he  pleaded.  "  God  have 
mercy  on  me  ;  anything  but  this,  senor,  I  beg  you.  I 
was  to  have  destroyed  it." 

"  As  you  will.  Then  our  conference  fails.  I  will 
call  in  our  seconds  and " 

But  he  did  not  let  me  finish,  for  with  a  groan  of  de- 
spair he  brought  the  paper  out  and  laid  it  on  the  table. 

I  picked  it  up,  and  a  glance  showed  me  what  a  prize 
it  was.  The  writing  was  Quesada's,  and  it  gave  the 
route  of  the  drive  and  actually  suggested  the  place 
where  the  abduction  could  be  made — a  spot  on  the 
road  to  Buenavista,  close  to  where  the  bridge  crossed 
the  Manzanares  on  the  way  to  Aravaca,  and  specified 
the  time,  five  o'clock  ;  adding  the  significant  note— 


A    COWARD'S    STORY      165 

"  Only  one  aide  in  carriage,  no  escort ;  coachman  and 
footman." 

When  I  had  read  it  he  held  out  his  hand  for  it, 
dreaming  apparently  that  I  should  return  it  ;  and  when 
I  put  it  in  my  pocket  he  threw  up  his  hands  with  a 
deep  sigh  of  despair. 

"  Why  was  to-morrow  chosen  instead  of  the  follow- 
ing day  ? " 

"  I  don't  know.     There  have  been  several  changes." 

I  stopped  to  think.  I  had  indeed  made  a  splendid 
haul,  and  there  was  little  else  Livenza  was  likely  to  be 
able  to  tell  me.  There  was  one  question  I  had  yet  to 
answer ;  but  it  was  certain  that  he  would  not  know  any 
more  than  I.  What  was  Sebastian's  object  in  all  this  ? 
I  had  thought  of  the  probable  solution  when  I  was 
with  Sarita — that  he  was  playing  for  his  own  hand  and 
meant  to  get  rid  of  the  young  King  and  to  crush  the 
Carlists  by  one  and  the  same  stroke  ;  and  to  pit  myself 
against  a  man  shrewd  enough  to  conceive  such  a  policy 
and  daring  enough  to  put  it  to  the  actual  test,  seemed 
like  madness.  But  I  had  made  up  my  mind  to  attempt 
it  ;  and  the  document  I  now  had  in  my  pocket  would 
be  a  powerful  weapon  if  only  I  could  see  the  means  to 
use  it  shrewdly. 

As  I  stood  a  minute  or  two  revolving  these  matters, 
Livenza  was  staring  at  me  with  the  fascinated  gaze 
with  which  a  hunted  animal  will  watch  the  beast  of 
prey  that  threatens  its  life,  and  at  length  said — 

"  Is  there  anything  more.     I  am  not  well,  senor." 

"  No,  you  have  saved  your  life  ;  but  you  will  remain 
close  in  your  rooms  until  I  send  you  word.  To  all  but 
Sebastian  Quesada  you  will  be  ill  in  bed.  Any  message 
he  sends  you,  you  will  immediately  forward  to  me  ; 


1 66   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

and  he  must  not  know  that  you  are  not  acting  just  as 
usual.  I  will  find  someone  who  will  nurse  you  day  and 
night  and  watch  you." 

"  I  cannot  serve  both  you  and  Sebastian  Quesada. 
I  cannot  do  it.  I  must  have  either  your  protection  or 
his,"  he  cried,  feebly. 

"  You  will  have  mine,"  I  answered,  in  a  tone  I  might 
have  used  had  I  been  the  master  of  countless  legions. 
"  Serve  me  in  this  matter,  and  you  will  have  your  re- 
ward. Fail  me,  and  I  swear  I  will  take  your  life." 

Without  giving  him  time  to  answer,  I  called  in  the 
other  men,  and  found  that  Captain  Pescada  had  gone 
away,  leaving  many  apologies.  I  apologised  for  hav- 
ing kept  the  others  waiting. 

"  Colonel  Livenza  is  ill,  gentlemen,"  I  added.  "  He 
has  given  me  proofs  of  his  desire  to  make  ample 
amends  for  the  insult  of  this  evening,  offered  under 
what  he  declares  to  have  been  a  complete  misunder- 
standing. While  he  is  arranging  matters  I  have  con- 
sented to  withhold  my  right  under  the  duel.  He  will 
put  this  in  writing  with  an  acknowledgment  that  I 
shall  be  entitled  to  exercise  that  right  should  he  fail  in 
what  he  has  undertaken  to  do,  and  I  wish  you  to  put 
your  names  to  the  document." 

He  was  so  broken  that  he  could  scarcely  keep  a 
steady  enough  hand  to  write  what  was  necessary  ;  and 
while  he  was  so  engaged,  I  drew  Mayhew  on  one 
side. 

"You  know  many  people  in  Madrid:  do  you  know 
of  any  young  doctor  who  would  undertake  to  stay  here 
with  Livenza  for  a  couple  of  days  at  most,  but  certainly 
until  after  to-morrow  night,  never  losing  sight  of  him 
and  seeing  that  he  does  not  commit  suicide  ?" 


A    COWARD'S    STORY      167 

"  He  won't  commit  suicide,"  said  Mayhew,  con- 
temptuously. 

"  I  know  that ;  but  it  will  make  a  good  excuse  for  us 
to  give  to  the  doctor  who  is  to  watch  him,"  I  returned, 
drily.  "It  must  be  a  man  who  won't  talk  either.  And 
you'll  give  me  your  word  to  say  nothing  of  that  dis- 
tressing scene  of  his  cowardice.  There's  a  good  deal 
in  this  thing — a  good  deal.  And  will  you  look  up 
Captain  Pescada  in  the  morning  and  get  a  pledge  of 
secrecy  from  him  ?  " 

"Certainly  I  will  ;  and  I  think  I  know  the  man  you 
want." 

"Can  you  rouse  him  up  to-night?  Of  course,  I'll 
see  he's  well  paid.  I  don't  want  to  be  here  any  longer 
than  necessary  ;  and  as  soon  as  this  thing's  done," 
nodding  to  where  Livenza  was  writing,  "perhaps  you 
could  fetch  him." 

The  arrangements  as  I  planned  them  were  carried 
out  without  much  further  loss  of  time,  and  as  soon  as 
the  paper  had  been  read  over  and  signed,  and  Livenza's 
seconds  had  left,  Mayhew  started  in  search  of  his 
friend.  Livenza  went  to  bed,  and  when  the  young 
doctor  came  and  I  had  given  him  my  instructions, 
Mayhew  and  I  left  the  house  together. 

"  It's  all  very  mysterious,  Ferdinand,"  he  said,  fish- 
ing. 

"  Very,  Silas  ;  but  I  hope  things  will  come  right  in 
the  end." 

"  You're  well  out  of  an  ugly  business." 

"  Or  deeper  in — it  remains  to  be  seen  which,"  I 
answered,  cryptically,  and  smiled.  "  But  whichever  it 
is,  our  friendship  will  have  to  stand  the  strain  of  silence 
about  it.  I'm  sorry,  for  I  should  much  like  to  have 


168     SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

you  in  it  with  me.  But  it  can't  be — at  any  rate  yet. 
All  the  better  for  you,  perhaps." 

"  That  brute  meant  to  kill  you,"  he  said,  after  a 
pause. 

"  Not  the  only  good  intention  that's  missed  fire  to- 
night, probably." 

"  I  couldn't  understand  you  a  bit.  You  were  as  cool 
and  certain  as  if  you  knew  you'd  come  out  on  top." 

"I  think  I  did  know  it,  too,  in  a  way.  Anyhow,  I 
felt  dead  certain,  and  that  was  just  as  good.  But  I 
know  a  lot  more  than  I  did,  I'm  glad  to  say." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ? "  he  asked,  with  quick  curi- 
osity. 

"  I  know  what  it  means  to  stand  fire  at  close  range." 

"All  right;  I  won't  question  you.  But  you're  a 
strange  beggar  ;  "  and  he  laughed.  I  thought  I  could 
afford  to  laugh,  too,  so  I  joined  him.  I  might  not 
have  many  more  occasions  for  much  laughter,  at  any 
rate  for  a  while  ;  and  soon  after  that  we  parted  at  the 
door  of  his  house. 

It  was  very  late,  but  I  sat  for  an  hour  smoking, 
studying  the  route  of  the  young  King's  drive  for  the 
next  day,  and  making  my  plans  ;  and  when  I  turned  in 
my  nerves  were  still  in  good  enough  trim  for  me  to  get 
to  sleep  at  once.  I  had  had  a  very  full  and  very  excit- 
ing day,  but  unless  I  was  mistaken  the  morrow  would 
prove  much  more  critical  for  me,  and  probably  a  no 
less  fateful  one  for  Spain. 

I  sent  a  letter  first  thing  in  the  morning  to  the 
Embassy,  excusing  myself  from  attendance  there  on  the 
plea  of  sudden  business  ;  and,  hiring  a  horse,  rode  out  to 
the  spot  where  the  attempt  on  the  young  King  was  to  be 
made  that  afternoon. 


A    COWARD'S    STORY      169 

It  was  cleverly  chosen,  indeed.  A  very  quiet,  lonely 
place,  where  the  road  dipped  and  then  ran  in  a  cutting 
between  high  banks  up  a  sharp  incline — such  a  place, 
indeed,  as  was  exactly  suited  to  the  work.  Fortunately 
I  knew  the  district  well,  and  where  the  various  roads 
about  there  led  ;  and  I  could  form  a  pretty  good  idea 
of  how  the  thing  would  be  done. 

I  picked  out  a  good  spot  where  I  could  keep  con- 
cealed, watch  what  transpired,  and  then  follow  in  pur- 
suit. My  plan  was  a  very  simple  one  :  To  let  the 
affair  take  place  and  the  abductors  get  away  with  the 
King  ;  then  to  follow,  and  just  when  they  were  confi- 
dent all  had  gone  well,  strike  in  and  act  according  to 
circumstances.  My  danger  lay  in  the  fact  that  I  must 
be  alone  ;  but  the  personal  risks  of  that  were  less  than 
any  attempt  to  get  others  to  join  me. 

Of  course,  a  mere  word  of  warning  sent  to  the  palace 
would  be  sufficient  to  cause  a  change  in  the  route  for 
the  King's  drive,  and  so  check  the  plot  for  that  after- 
noon. But  that  was  by  no  means  my  sole  object.  I 
was  bent  on  making  a  bold  stroke  for  my  own  gain  ;  and 
for  this  I  was  as  anxious  as  any  Carlist  could  be  for  the 
momentary  success  of  the  scheme.  I  must  not  only  call 
check,  but  checkmate,  to  the  desperate  man  I  was 
fighting. 

The  knowledge  I  had  gained  from  Vidal  de  Pelayo, 
that  the  Carlists  would  attempt  to  carry  the  King  to 
Huesca,  gave  me  a  clue  as  to  the  line  across  country 
they  were  sure  to  take,  and  a  gallop  of  a  few  miles 
refreshed  my  knowledge  of  it,  and  also  showed  me 
where  in  my  turn  I  could  make  my  rescue. 

I  returned  to  Madrid  about  noon,  confident  and  in 
high  spirits  as  the  result  of  my  ride,  and  my  next  task 


i;o   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

was  to  secure  the  fleetest  and  strongest  horse  that  could 
be  hired  ;  and  I  had  scarcely  reached  my  rooms  after 
arranging  this  when  a  very  singular  incident  occurred. 

A  letter  was  brought  me  from  Sebastian  Quesada, 
and  my  servant  told  me  the  messenger  was  waiting  for 
a  reply.  I  opened  and  read  it  with  great  astonish- 
ment. 

"  Time  changed.  Six  o'clock — not  five  ;  return  route. 
Same  spot.  Communicate  instantly." 

I  had  had  no  message  from  him,  or  invitation  for  a 
drive  or  ride  that  day.  The  letter  was  just  in  the  brief 
style  of  twenty  others  he  had  sent  me,  and  it  seemed 
that  some  former  invitation  must  have  miscarried.  I 
was  on  the  point  of  penning  a  line  to  him  to  this  effect 
when  a  light  suddenly  broke  upon  me. 

The  letter  was  not  for  me  at  all.  It  had  been  put  by 
mistake  in  the  wrong  envelope.  I  saw  the  address 
was  in  Quesada's  own  hand,  and  in  his  hurry  he  had 
apparently  committed  the  blunder  of  mixing  the  two 
notes. 

This  referred  without  a  doubt  to  the  great  event  of 
the  day,  and  my  pulses  tingled  at  the  thought.  I  sent 
for  the  messenger. 

"  Did  Senor  Quesada  give  you  this  with  his  own 
hand  ?"  I  asked  the  man,  whom  I  knew  as  a  confiden- 
tial servant  of  the  Minister's. 

"  Yes,  senor.  I  took  it  first  to  the  British  Embassy, 
but  they  told  me  you  had  not  been  there  to-day,  and 
as  my  instructions  were  to  await  your  answer,  I  came 
here." 

"  Quite  right,"  I  answered,  casually.  "  I'm  sorry  I 
shall  not  be  able  to  do  what  your  master  wishes.  I 
have  hurt  my  hand  and  cannot  write,"  and  I  lifted  my 


A    COWARD'S    STORY      171 

right  hand,  round  which  I  had  bound  my  handkerchief.  I 
could  not  send  a  written  reply,  as  I  did  not  know  what 
I  had  to  answer,  and  could  afterwards  blame  his  ser- 
vant if  my  verbal  message  suggested  any  discrepancy. 

As  soon  as  his  back  was  turned  I  was  in  a  carriage 
driving  fast  to  Livenza's.  I  guessed  that  as  this  letter 
was  for  him,  mine  might  have  been  enclosed  to  him, 
thus  forming  the  counterpart  of  the  mistake. 

My  guess  was  right,  and  I  found  him  puzzling  over 
a  letter  asking  me  in  most  pressing  terms  to  join 
Quesada  that  afternoon  in  a  long  ride,  and  to  dine  with 
him  quietly  afterwards.  I  saw  the  object — to  make  it 
impossible  for  me  to  interfere  in  the  business  of  that 
day,  supposing  by  any  chance  I  had  got  wind  of  it. 

That  being  his  purpose,  how  would  he  act  when  he 
got  my  reply  ?  The  story  of  the  injured  hand  would 
seem  to  him  to  be  the  result  of  the  trouble  with 
Livenza  ;  but  it  was  almost  certain  that  he  would  come 
himself  to  see  me.  If  he  did  so,  and  found  me  absent, 
he  might  suspect,  and  perhaps  even  at  the  eleventh 
hour  postpone  the  coup. 

A  question  to  Livenza  showed  me  how  he  would 
communicate  the  change  of  time  to  those  whom  it 
concerned,  and  the  moment  I  had  arranged  that  I 
rushed  back  to  my  rooms,  swathed  my  hand  in  band- 
ages, improvised  a  sling  under  my  coat,  and  sat  down 
to  wait.  It  was  then  three  o'clock,  and  I  must  be  away 
in  two  hours — by  five,  that  was — if  I  was  not  to  run  a 
risk  of  being  late,  or  perhaps  of  being  observed. 

My  guess  was  right  again,  and  at  a  quarter  past  three 
Quesada  was  shown  into  my  room.  He  found  me  with 
his  letter  lying  open  on  my  table,  while  I  was  trying 
with  infinite  pains  to  write  a  reply  with  my  left  hand. 


i?2   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

I  received  him  with  a  welcoming  laugh  as  I  flourished 
my  right  arm  in  its  sling,  and  held  out  my  left. 

"  My  dear  Ferdinand,  Carlos  brought  me  word  that 
you  had  injured  your  hand  and  could  not  ride  with  me 
this  afternoon.  I  was  all  anxiety,  and  have  cancelled 
my  arrangements  that  I  may  give  up  the  time  to  cheer 
you.  Tell  me,  are  you  much  hurt  ?  How  did  it  all 
happen,  in  the  name  of  misfortune  ?" 

I  cursed  his  solicitude,  and  saw  his  object.  He  had 
come  to  see  that  I  did  no  mischief.  But  I  replied 
lightly — 

"  That  is  the  act  of  a  good,  true  friend.  Sit  down, 
light  a  cigar,  and  let  us  chat.  I  was  at  that  moment 
writing  to  you — have  you  ever  tried  to  write  with  the 
left  hand  ?  It  is  the  devil's  trouble.  See  here,"  and  I 
held  out  the  letter,  taking  care  that  he  should  see  his 
own  at  the  same  time,  and  laughed  over  the  stumbling 
effort.  "  I  have  been  trying  ever  since  Carlos  went  to 
write  and  thank  you,  and  say  how  sorry  I  am  I  can't 
dine  with  you  either,  because  I  am  engaged  for  the 
afternoon  with  my  sister  and  her  friend  Mrs.  Curwen. 
We  came  from  England  together,  you  know.  But  I  am 
not  due  until  four  o'clock,  so  we  can  smoke,  drink,  and 
chatter  till  then." 

"  But  you're  hurt — what  is  wrong?  " 

"  My  dear  Quesada,  though  you  are  what  we  at  home 
call  Home  Minister,  and  therefore  head  of  everything 
that  pertains  to  law  and  order  in  the  capital,  as  else- 
where— and  a  most  capable  head,  too — this  Madrid  of 
yours  is  the  devil's  own  place  for  a  brawl.  And  I  am 
bound  to  say  that  when  the  Spanish  blood's  up  the 
knife's  out,  and  I  can  speak  from  experience  that  the 
who  gets  his  fingers  in  the  way  of  a  Spanish  knife 


A    COWARD'S    STORY      173 

is  a  good  many  kinds  of  a  fool  for  his  trouble.  But 
don't  ask  any  questions  ;  I  shall  be  right  again  in  a  day 
or  so,  and  meanwhile  I  mean  to  take  care  of  my  left 
hand  ;  "  and  I  flourished  it,  laughed  again,  and  gave 
him  a  look  which  might  have  been  intended  to  suggest 
any  kind  of  intrigue. 

He  accepted  the  explanation,  I  thought,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  we  were  chatting  much  as  usual.  As  the  time 
passed  I  grew  very  anxious  for  him  to  go,  but  he  sat  on 
for  an  hour,  showing  no  indication  of  leaving,  and  then 
I  gave  him  a  hint,  which  he  didn't  take. 

"  Now  do  me  a  favour,"  I  said  then.  "  Come  with 
me  this  afternoon — I  must  go,  for  I  am  due  now — and 
allow  me  to  present  you  to  my  sister?"  I  said  it  as 
earnestly  as  though  I  knew  Mercy  and  Mrs.  Curwen 
were  really  at  the  hotel  waiting  for  me,  and  to  my  dis- 
may he  hesitated. 

"You  tempt  me  strongly.  Your  sister  must  be 
Dolores'  and  my  friend." 

"  Good  ;  then  you  will  come  ?  It  is  excellent,  too,  for 
Mrs.  Curwen  is  the  American  capitalist  who  is  going  to 
take  up  that  silver  mine  business  on  the  Castelars'  prop- 
erty, that  you  offered  in  London,  you  know,  and  she 
will  be  delighted  to  see  you  and  ask  you  all  kinds  of 
questions  about  it.  She  is  the  most " 

But  his  face  changed  then. 

"I  do  not  like  Americans  just  now,"  he  broke  in, 
"  and  I  have  remembered  something  I  omitted  to  do  at 
my  office.  You  must  excuse  me.  But  I  will  drive  you 
to  the  hotel." 

"  You  are  a  thoughtful  friend  always,"  I  replied, 
knowing  he  did  this  because  his  suspicions  of  me  were 
not  yet  allayed.  Then  came  another  point.  I  was 


174   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

dressed  for  riding — Norfolk  jacket  and  riding  gaiters — 
and  could  not  change  them.  His  quick  eyes  saw  this 
instantly,  and  he  said  with  a  glance  and  a  laugh — 

"  Your  visit  is  an  informal  one,  Ferdinand  ?" 

"  One's  sister  learns  the  art  of  making  excuses,  and  a 
man  with  only  one  hand  can  surely  plead  privilege." 
And  in  that  dress  I  started,  leaving  him  only  a  moment 
while  I  secured  my  revolver  and  some  ammunition. 

He  drove  me  right  to  the  hotel,  and  did  not  leave 
me  until  he  had  actually  heard  me  ask  for  Miss  Carbon- 
nell's  and  Mrs  Curwen's  rooms,  and  looked  after  me  as 
the  waiter  led  me  away. 

A  glance  at  my  watch  showed  me  it  was  then  nearly 
half-past  four,  but  I  felt  compelled  to  carry  on  the 
farce  so  far  as  to  go  to  Mrs.  Curwen's  room,  perilously 
short  though  the  time  was  growing. 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE  ABDUCTION 

IT  is  an  experience  which  I  expect  most  of  us  have 
known,  to  have  to  clap  on  suddenly  the  mummer's 
mask  at  a  moment  of  serious  crisis,  and  to  play 
the  fool  just  when  one's  whole  mind  and  thoughts  are 
claimed  by  really  tragic  issues.  That  was  my  case 
when  I  went  to  Mrs.  Curwen's  on  parting  from 
Quesada. 

The  widow  was  alone,  and  was  annoyed  that  I  had 
not  been  to  see  her  on  the  previous  day,  and  met  me 
consequently  in  a  mood  of  satirical  banter.  Looking 
at  me  as  though  she  did  not  recognise  me,  she  said — 

"  Carbonnell,  Carbonnell,  I  seem  to  have  heard  the 
name  ;  but  surely  it  is  so  long  since  I  saw  a  man  of  the 
name.  Are  you  Mr.  Carbonnell  ?  " 

"  I  believe  I  am,"  I  returned,  gravely.  "And  I  was 
actually  going  to  shake  hands  with  you,  I  think." 

"  I  don't  think  you  can  be  ;  because  I  am  sure  the 
Mr.  Carbonnell  I  knew  would  never  have  remained 
away  long  enough  for  me  to  forget  his  face." 

"  Ah,  you  are  thinking  of  Lascelles  Carbonnell.  I 
am  Ferdinand,  his  brother,  you  know." 

"  I  am  very  angry  with  you,  and  that's  the  truth," 
she  cried,  laughing,  and  colouring  at  the  little  thrust. 
"  Lord  Glisfoyle  would  never  have  behaved  in  such  a 


1 76   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

way.  If  this  is  how  Madrid  affects  people,  I  wish  I'd 
never  come.  But  what's  the  matter  with  your  hand  ? " 

"  I  have  come  to  have  a  very  difficult  surgical 
operation  performed  by  you  or  Mercy.  Where  is  she  ?" 
She  came  in  as  I  spoke  ;  and  seeing  my  arm  in  a  sling 
her  face  clouded,  as  she  kissed  me  and  asked  the 
reason. 

"  Are  you  really  hurt  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Curwen,  doubt- 
ingly,  sympathy  struggling  with  annoyance.  "  You 
don't  look  ill." 

"  Does  a  man  wear  this  sort  of  ornament  for  fun  ?" 
and  I  drew  the  bandaged  hand  from  the  sling. 

"  There's  no  accounting  for  what  a  man  will  do — in 
Madrid,"  she  retorted,  with  a  sniff  of  battle  and  a  toss 
of  the  head. 

"  Angela  !  "  cried  Mercy.  "  What  is  the  matter, 
Nand  ? " 

"  He  wants  us  to  perform  what  he  calls  a  '  surgical 
operation,'  Mercy." 

"The  matter  is  not  very  serious,  I  believe,"  I 
answered,  in  deference  to  the  pain  on  my  sister's  face, 
but  seeing  now  how  to  punish  Mrs.  Curwen,  I  added  : 
"  They  tell  me,  indeed,  that  if  the  bandages  are 
removed  very  carefully  and  a  particular  kind  of 
massage  employed,  I  shall  recover  the  use  of  the 
fingers  quickly." 

"  I  have  had  a  lot  of  nursing  experience,  I  can  do  it," 
said  the  widow  ;  and  she  began  to  handle  the  bandages 
very  gently.  "  But  what  kind  of  massage  do  you 
mean  ?  " 

"That  will  depend  upon  the  condition  in  which  we 
find  them.  I  believe  they  will  have  to  be  rubbed  by 
being  passed  through  cloth,"  This  somewhat  recondite 


THE   ABDUCTION          177 

description  of  putting  them  through  my   coat  sleeve 
puzzled  her  completely. 

"  I  never  heard  of  anything  like  that,"  she  said, 
wrinkling  her  forehead  in  perplexity  ;  now  quite 
serious.  "But  whoever  put  these  on?  I  never  saw 
anything  so  clumsy  in  my  life.  I  must  cut  this  one," 
and  as  she  turned  away  to  find  scissors,  I  took  occasion 
to  give  Mercy  a  glance,  which  not  only  relieved  her 
anxiety,  but  changed  her  into  an  accomplice. 

"  Poor  old  Nand,"  she  cried,  in  quite  a  tearful  voice, 
but  laughing  to  me  with  her  eyes.  "  Be  careful-,  An- 
gela. Shall  I  do  it,  dear  ?" 

"  Do  you  think  I  can't  take  a  bandage  off  ?  "  was  the 
reply,  with  some  sharpness,  as  she  came  back  with  the 
scissors. 

"  Ah,  oh  !  "  I  cried,  wincing  as  if  she  hurt  me  at  the 
next  touch.  "  Please  be  careful.  I  can't  bear  pain  a 
bit." 

"  Men  never  can,"  she  retorted.  "  I'm  sure  I  scarcely 
touched  you.  But  if  it's  as  bad  as  that,  I'll  be  careful," 
she  added,  earnestly  ;  and  the  little  farce  proceeded, 
she  unwinding  the  clumsy  bandage  I  had  put  on,  and  I 
wincing  and  "  ah-ing  "  and  grimacing,  until  the  hand 
was  uncovered,  and  the  fingers — bloodless,  of  course, 
from  the  ligature — were  exposed  to  view. 

"What's  the  matter  with  them  ?"  she  said,  examin- 
ing them  closely. 

"  It  came  on  suddenly,"  I  explained.  "  And  now  for 
the  cloth  massage.  Gently." 

"  What  is  cloth  massage  ? " 

"  Why,  massage  with  cloth,  of  course.  Wait,  I  have 
it ;  "  and  without  more  ado  about  nothing,  I  thrust  my 
arm  through  the  sleeve  of  my  coat,  and  held  out  my 


i ?8   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

fiand  to  shake  hers.  "  The  most  wonderful  cure  on 
record.  Thank  you  so  much." 

Mercy  burst  out  laughing,  but  Mrs.  Curwen  coloured 
with  vexation. 

"  What  does  it  mean  ?  You've  been  fooling,"  she 
cried.  "  I  call  it  horrid  of  you  ; "  and  as  she  turned 
away  I  saw  tears  of  vexation  start  to  her  eyes.  Then 
I  repented. 

"  Forgive  me.  Honestly,  I  am  sorry  and  did  not 
mean  to  vex  you.  There  is  a  meaning  to  all  this,  and 
some  day  I'll  tell  you  both,  and  the  tale  will  surprise 
you,  probably." 

"  I'll  forgive  you  if  you're  going  to  stay  and  take  us 
out,  and  then  come  back  to  dinner.  Your  friend  Mr. 
Mayhew  is  coming.  We're  going  to  the  Opera.  The 
young  King  is  to  be  there,  and  the  Queen.  It's  to  be 
a  real  gala  show." 

"  I  should  like  to  see  the  young  King,"  I  replied, 
truthfully  enough,  indeed.  "  But  I  can't  manage  to 
dine  with  you.  Give  me  the  number  of  your  box,  and 
if  I  can  get  my  work  done  I'll  try  and  join  you  there. 
I  must  be  off  now,  in  fact." 

"  You  seem  to  be  very  hard-worked  at  the  Em- 
bassy," she  replied. 

"  This  is  not  purely  Embassy  work  ;  it's  rather  ex- 
tra-official than  otherwise.5' 

"A.  B.  C.  used  to  say  that  when  a  man  had  out-of- 
office  work  there  was  generally  a  woman  in  the  case." 

"  Ah,  he  was  an  American  ;  and  American  customs 
are  very  unpopular  in  Madrid  just  now  ;  "  and  as  my 
time  was  up,  I  hurried  away.  A  short  drive  carried 
me  to  the  stables  where  my  horse  was  in  waiting 
ready  saddled,  and  not  a  vestige  of  the  little  farce  re- 


THE   ABDUCTION          179 

• 

mained  in  my  thoughts  as  I  mounted  and  rode  slowly 
off  on  what  might  be  so  momentous  an  errand  for  me. 

I  knew  the  city  well  enough  to  pick  my  way  through 
by-streets  till  I  reached  the  outskirts  and  came  out  on 
to  the  Aravaca  road,  and  then  I  rattled  on  for  a  mile 
to  put  my  horse's  powers  to  the  test.  He  was  a  splen- 
did animal,  and  in  the  pink  of  condition,  very  fast,  as 
sure-footed  as  a  mule,  and  wonderfully  obedient  alike 
to  voice,  knee,  and  rein.  He  would  have  made  a  mag- 
nificent hunter,  and  when  I  put  him  across  a  bit  of 
country  he  took  as  much  pleasure  in  it  as  I  myself.  A 
jewel  of  a  horse  for  the  task  I  was  upon. 

I  reached  the  spot  I  had  chosen  for  my  hiding  place 
well  before  the  time  ;  and,  tethering  my  horse  securely, 
I  climbed  a  tree  which  was  to  be  my  observation  post, 
and  commenced  my  vigil.  I  had  about  half  an  hour 
to  wait,  for  my  ride  had  taken  less  time  than  I  had  al- 
lowed; but  there  was  not  much  fear  of  the  time  dragging. 

I  had  with  me  a  pair  of  folding  field-glasses  of  great 
power  and  range,  and  with  these  I  swept  the  country 
round  for  indications  of  the  approach  of  the  royal 
carriage  or  of  any  Carlist  preparations.  For  a  long  time 
I  looked  in  vain  ;  but  presently  a  carriage,  drawn  by  a 
pair  of  stalwart  horses,  appeared  about  half  a  mile  away 
to  my  left  on  the  road  from  the  city.  It  was  travelling 
rapidly,  and  I  lost  it  soon  afterwards  behind  a  small 
olive  wood,  which  stood  close  to  the  crest  of  the  hill. 
As  it  did  not  appear  again,  the  deduction  was  easy  that 
it  was  the  Carlist  carriage,  and  had  been  drawn  up  in 
concealment  to  wait  for  the  coming  of  the  young  King. 
I  would  have  given  a  great  deal  to  know  the  number  of 
those  in  it — but  this  was,  of  course,  impossible. 

Five  minutes  later  four  horsemen  straggled  up  one 


iSo   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

by  one,  with  considerable  intervals  between  them,  and 
as  they  did  not  show  on  my  side  of  the  little  wood,  I 
set  them  down  as  a  further  instalment  of  the  perform- 
ers in  the  coming  drama. 

As  there  must  be  now  at  least  six  or  eight  men,  the 
number  of  them  gave  me  a  twinge  of  uneasiness.  If 
anything  like  that  number  of  men  were  going  with  the 
young  King  after  he  had  been  put  in  the  Carlist  vehicle, 
I  had  made  a  very  grave  miscalculation  in  my  plans, 
which  might  have  the  most  serious  consequences. 

Nor  was  this  all.  As  the  appointed  hour  approached 
a  single  horseman  came  riding  at  a  sharp  trot  from  the 
other  direction  ;  and  he,  too,  apparently  joined  the 
group  waiting  by  the  wood.  He  seemed  to  have 
brought  news,  for  soon  after  his  arrival  a  man  came  on 
foot  from  the  coppice  to  the  crest  of  the  hill,  stood  a 
moment  shading  his  eyes  and  staring  across  the  deep 
dip  which  the  road  made  at  the  spot.  .  After  staring 
thus  for  perhaps  two  minutes,  he  made  a  sign  to  his 
companions  and  retraced  his  steps. 

One  thing  was  at  any  rate  certain  from  this — the 
young  King  was  expected  ;  and  this  meant  much. 

A  pause  of  some  ten  minutes  followed;  during  which 
the  scrutiny  of  the  road  was  renewed  twice,  and  the 
second  time  the  lookout  appeared  to  see  what  he 
sought.  I  turned  my  glasses  upon  the  road,  and  saw  a 
horseman  spurring  with  all  possible  speed  in  our  direc- 
tion. He  dashed  down  the  one  hill  at  breakneck  speed, 
and  spurred  and  flogged  his  horse  up  the  next  to  where 
the  others  were  awaiting  him. 

Almost  directly  afterwards  I  saw  them  commence 
their  preparations  ;  and  I  jumped  to  the  conclusion  that 
his  news  was  that  the  royal  carriage  was  close  at  hand. 


Six  men  came  out  on  foot.  Four  went  down  the  hill, 
concealed  themselves  in  some  bushes  that  grew  by  the 
wayside,  and  two  went  farther  down,  almost  to  the 
bottom  of  the  dip,  and  hid  there.  Presently  two  others 
sauntered  slowly  a  little  way  down  the  hill,  and  directly 
afterwards  the  carriage  I  had  formerly  seen  came  out 
from  behind  the  wood  and  stood  drawn  up  just  far 
enough  from  the  hill  brow  to  be  out  of  sight  of  anyone 
coming  up.. 

Altogether  a  fairly  effective  disposition  of  forces. 
The  royal  carriage  was  to  pass  the  first  two  at  the 
bottom  of  the  decline  and  to  be  stopped  by  the  four 
posted  in  the  middle.  If  by  a  mishap  it  got  past  the 
four,  the  two  at  the  top  would  stop  it :  if  it  was  turned 
back,  the  two  at  the  bottom  would  act  ;  while  in  any 
case  all  of  them  would  be  almost  instantly  available  for 
an  attack  in  force. 

As  I  turned  my  glasses  anxiously  along  the  road  to 
see  whether  the  young  King  was  coming  toward  the 
trap  so  cunningly  laid  for  him,  I  felt  my  heart  begin- 
ning to  beat  with  the  strain  of  the  excitement,  and  in- 
voluntarily I  caught  my  breath  and  started  when  I  saw 
a  slight  cloud  of  dust  in  the  distance  which  told  of  the 
King's  approach. 

The  drama  now  developed  quickly  enough  to  satisfy 
the  most  voracious  lover  of  incident.  The  dust  cloud 
grew  larger  and  larger,  till  at  length  I  could  make  out 
the  carriage  quite  distinctly,  and  saw  that  Quesada's 
information  had  been  absolutely  correct.  There  were 
no  outriders,  no  escort  of  any  kind,  and  the  only  ser- 
vants on  the  carriage  were  a  coachman  and  footman, 
both  on  the  box.  What  insanity,  I  thought,  to  abandon 
even  ordinary  precautions  at  such  a  time  !  And  what 


182     SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

must  not  be  Quesada's  influence  even  at  the  palace  to 
get  this  effected  on  the  flimsy  pretence  of  showing 
trust  in  the  people  ! 

Meanwhile,  the  men  in  waiting  made  a  last  prepara- 
tion. When  the  royal  carriage  was  about  half  down 
the  hill  on  my  right,  three  of  the  Carlists  began  to 
move  slowly  forward  and  to  descend  that  on  my  left  at 
a  walking  pace.  Then  the  driver  drew  to  the  side,  as 
though  there  were  not  room  for  the  two  carriages  to 
pass,  and  waited.  All  was  now  in  readiness. 

The  thing  was  done  with  remarkable  neatness,  sure- 
ness  of  touch,  and  precision  of  movement.  The  instant 
the  royal  carriage  had  passed  the  first  couple  of  men 
at  the  bottom,  the  driver  having  checked  the  horses  to 
a  walk,  they  both  came  out  and  followed.  As  it  came 
abreast  of  the  four  half  way  up  the  hill  they  sprang 
out,  the  carriage  above  drew  into  the  middle  of  the 
road,  and  the  remaining  couple  running  down  swiftly, 
the  eight  swarmed  almost  simultaneously  upon  the 
quarry. 

The  two  servants  were  dragged  from  the  box  in  a 
trice  and  bound  with  the  reins,  and  just  as  the  young 
King  thrust  his  head  out  of  the  window  to  see  what 
was  wrong,  both  doors  were  flung  open,  the  King  was 
seized  by  one  pair,  and  the  attendant  equerry,  an  old 
man  and  incapable  of  any  serious  resistance,  was  col- 
lared by  the  other  pair.  To  borrow  an  Irish  phrase, 
the  thing  was  over  almost  before  it  had  begun.  The 
young  King  proved  his  pluck  and  did  what  he  could  ; 
but  that  was,  of  course,  nothing  against  the  strength  of 
the  men  who  seized  him  and  carried  him  to  the  carriage 
up  the  hill. 

Then  came  a  delay  which  puzzled  me.     The  two  men 


THE    ABDUCTION  183 

got  into  the  Carlist  carriage  with  the  young  King,  and 
remained  in  it  some  three  or  four  minutes,  and  what 
they  were  doing  I  could  not  see  ;  but  at  the  end  of  the 
time  one  got  out  again,  shut  the  door,  threw  on  a  foot- 
man's livery  coat,  mounted  the  box  beside  the  driver, 
and  the  carriage  started  immediately.  Two  others  had 
meanwhile  gone  for  their  horses,  and  now  came  out 
from  behind  the  wood,  and  followed  the  carriage  at  an 
interval  of  about  a  furlong. 

A  last  look  before  I  slipped  from  my  tree  showed  me 
that  the  others  were  now  making  all  haste  to  get  the 
royal  carriage  away.  Then  I  ran  to  my  horse, 
mounted,  and  started  in  pursuit. 

My  hopes  of  accomplishing  my  object  had  run  down 
with  a  rush  to  zero,  and  for  the  time  I  was  full  of  con- 
sternation at  the  course  things  had  taken.  No  less 
than  five  men  were  told  off  to  guard  the  young  captive, 
and  I  knew  they  were  desperate  men,  who  had  im- 
perilled their  lives  to  capture  the  King,  and  would  risk 
them  freely  to  keep  him.  How  then  could  I  hope 
single-handed  to  effect  a  rescue  ?  Moreover,  it  was 
essential  to  my  plans  that  I  should  succeed  in  my  pur- 
pose without  being  recognised  by  the  Carlists  ;  and 
this  seemed  to  be  just  a  sheer  impossibility. 

The  one  step  which  had  baffled  me  was  their  precau- 
tion in  having  a  couple  of  mounted  men  to  follow  the 
carriage.  But  for  this  my  task  would  have  been  in- 
finitely easier.  It  made  even  the  work  of  pursuit 
vastly  difficult.  I  could  not  ride  on  the  open  road,  as 
this  would  have  roused  suspicion  ;  and  I  had  thus  to 
resort  to  a  hundred  shifts  ;  now  galloping  hard  straight 
across  country,  now  waiting  in  hiding ;  sometimes 
crossing  the  road  for  better  going  or  to  take  a  straight 


1 84  SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

line  where  the  road  curved  ;  and  all  the  time  harassed 
and  worried  by  the  constant  effort  to  remain  unseen  by 
these  men  and  yet  to  prevent  them  from  getting  out  of 
sight  of  me. 

Splendidly  as  I  was  mounted,  the  work  began  to  tell 
on  my  horse  almost  as  much  as  upon  my  temper,  and 
I  grew  not  only  anxious  but  positively  desperate.  Full 
of  difficulty  as  this  scouting  work  was,  it  was  leading 
nowhere.  Time  slipped  on  as  mile  after  mile  was 
traversed,  but  I  got  no  nearer  my  object.  So  little  did 
I  like  the  prospect  indeed  that  at  length  I  was  forced 
to  contemplate  an  entire  change  of  plan  and  the  aban- 
donment of  the  now  forlorn  hope  of  accomplishing  the 
rescue  single-handed. 

It  was  still  open  to  me  to  stop  the  business  by 
dogging  the  abductors  in  a  more  open  manner  until  we 
came  to  a  place  where  I  could  get  the  carriage  stopped 
by  the  authorities  ;  and  when  we  were  about  a  couple 
of  miles  from  the  large  village  of  Podrida  I  resolved 
most  reluctantly  to  take  that  course.  It  involved  a 
bitter  disappointment  ;  it  would  have  Heaven  alone 
knew  what  effect  upon  my  after  plans  ;  it  might  mean 
indeed  the  frustration  of  everything  ;  but  I  saw  no 
other  way,  and  accordingly  I  got  back  on  to  the  road 
and  began  to  close  up  the  distance  between  me  and  the 
two  horsemen  as  we  approached  Podrida. 

I  cursed  what  I  called  my  ill-luck  at  the  turn  things 
had  taken,  and  was  riding  in  a  very  sullen  mood  and  ill- 
temper  when  a  little  incident  occurred  which  suddenly 
changed  everything,  and  once  more  set  my  hopes  beat- 
ing high. 

We  were  about  a  mile  from  Podrida,  and  I  was  some 
hundred  yards  behind  the  two  men,  when  the  horse  of 


THE   ABDUCTION          185 

one  of  them  fell  as  they  were  trotting  briskly  down  a 
hill,  and  pitched  its  rider  head  foremost  heavily  on  to 
the  rough  stony  road.  His  companion  pulled  up  and 
dismounted.  The  fallen  horse  scrambled  up,  and  I 
saw  he  was  dead  lame,  while  the  rider  was  apparently 
stunned  for  the  moment. 

In  a  trice  I  resolved  to  attempt  the  rescue  at  once. 
I  clapped  my  heels  into  my  horse's  sides  and  darted 
forward  at  the  gallop,  and  then,  luck  having  changed, 
Fortune  tossed  me  another  favour.  The  second  man 
had  left  his  animal  untethered  as  he  bent  over  his  com- 
panion, and,  excited  apparently  at  the  galloping  of  my 
horse,  it  threw  up  its  head,  snorted  and  neighed  as  I 
passed,  and  came  rushing  madly  after  me.  Thus  in  a 
moment  both  the  guards  were  out  of  the  fight  ;  and  as 
I  had  been  careful  to  turn  my  head  in  passing,  I  got  by 
without  the  risk  of  recognition. 

The  carriage  was  some  distance  ahead,  and  I  had  to 
think  quickly  of  a  spot  which  would  suit  my  purpose. 
But  even  in  this  Fortune  continued  kind  to  me.  The 
men  with  the  carriage,  finding  the  horsemen  had 
dropped  too  far  behind  them,  and  not  being  willing  ap- 
parently to  enter  Podrida  without  them,  had  halted  to 
wait  in  just  such  a  spot  as  I  myself  would  have  chosen. 

As  a  precaution  against  identification,  I  had  brought 
with  me  a  small  flesh-coloured  silk  mask,  a  relic  of  an 
old  fancy-dress  costume,  and  I  now  slipped  this  on, 
slouched  the  brim  of  my  hat  well  over  my  eyes,  and 
drew  my  revolver  from  my  pocket.  The  issues  to  all 
concerned  were  too  weighty,  and  minutes,  even  second* 
might  be  too  precious  for  me  to  dally  with  any  senti 
mental  considerations.  If  blood  had  to  be  shed,  it 
must  be  shed,  let  come  what  might ;  and  my  resolvq 


1 86   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

was  now  running  so  high  that  I  meant  to  carry  the 
thing  through  at  all  hazards. 

But  even  then  another  splendid  stroke  of  luck  came 
my  way.  The  man  with  the  driver  on  the  box  seemed 
to  take  alarm  on  seeing  the  riderless  horse,  and, 
mistaking  me  for  one  of  his  mounted  comrades,  leapt 
down  from  the  box  and  came  running  toward  me. 
Nothing  could  have  served  my  purpose  better.  I  rode 
straight  at  him,  and  as  I  reached  him  struck  him  with 
my  heavy  hunting-crop,  putting  all  my  strength  into 
the  blow.  He  fell  like  a  log,  and  I  rode  over  him, 
dashed  past  the  carriage,  sent  a  bullet  into  the  nearest 
horse's  head,  turned  instantly,  and  with  another  shot 
broke  the  driver's  right  arm,  and  sent  him  toppling  off 
the  box' on  to  the  road. 

The  man  in  the  carriage  with  the  King  was  now 
ready  for  me,  however,  and,  leaning  out,  fired  a  revolver 
at  me  as  I  dismounted  and  rushed  to  the  door.  The 
aim  was  short  enough,  but  the  luck  was  still  mine. 
He  missed  me,  and  had  no  chance  of  a  second  shot,  for 
my  hunting-crop  came  down  on  his  wrist,  breaking  it, 
and  his  pistol  dropped  harmlessly  on  to  the  road. 

In  half  a  minute  I  had  him  out  and  lying  helpless 
and  half-stunned  on  the  road,  and  had  jumped  into  the 
carriage  to  the  King,  only  to  start  back  in  amazement 
and  dismay  at  the  discovery  that  it  was  not  the  King  at 
all,  but  a  girl  lying  prone,  faint,  and  helpless  on  an 
invalid's  stretcher,  her  eyes  staring  up  into  my  face 
with  the  glazed,  set  stillness  of  unconsciousness  or 
paralysed  fright.  What  could  it  mean  and  what  had 
I  done  ?  What  astounding  blunder  had  I  perpetrated  ? 
What  miracle  had  happened  ?  Where  was  the  young 
King? 


CHAPTER  XVI 

AFTER    THE    RESCUE 

WHAT  I  endured  in  those  first  moments  after 
my  shock  of  surprise  I  cannot  tell.  A 
thousand  possible  consequences  in  a  mounting 
scale  of  danger  crowded  my  mind  to  the  exclusion  of 
all  coherent  thoughts  ;  and  I  gazed  down  in  sheer 
stolidity  of  bewilderment  at  the  inert  form  of  the  girl 
on  the  stretcher. 

I  had  risked  everything,  and  lost  the  whole  stake 
through  my  blundering,  selfish  stupidity  in  trying  to 
carry  this  thing  through  single-handed.  Indeed,  I  had 
lost  more  than  all — for  I  had  laid  myself  open  to  a 
charge  of  having  played  the  highwayman  in  this  reck- 
less fashion  ;  and  while  the  Carlists  were  speeding  off 
with  the  young  King,  I  should  be  hustled  off  to  a  gaol 
for  a  common  thief. 

And  this  was  how  I  was  pitting  myself  against 
Sebastian  Quesada  !  At  this  thought  my  chagrin,  my 
humiliation,  and  my  self-contempt  culminated  in  an 
acute  agony  of  mortification  and  disappointment.  I 
was  like  a  man  distracted  and  broken,  when  in  a  flash 
the  light  burst  in  on  me. 

I  stooped  over  the  girl  and  saw  that  what  in  my  hasty 
glance  I  had  mistaken  for  a  piece  of  displaced  frilling 
was  in  reality  the  covering  for  a  cunningly  constructed 


i88   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

gag.  In  a  moment  I  had  torn  it  off  and  was  looking 
on  the  young  King's  face. 

"Is  your  Majesty  hurt?"  I  asked,  and  as  I  spoke 
my  fingers  were  busy  tearing  away  the  dress  with  which 
his  captors  had  covered  him,  my  hands  positively 
trembling  in  excitement. 

"  I  cannot  move.  Who  are  you  ?  I  am  strapped 
down  everywhere,"  he  said  weakly. 

"  By  God's  grace,  I  am  come  to  save  your  Majesty  ; " 
and,  without  wasting  time  in  words,  I  searched  for  the 
straps  that  bound  him  to  the  stretcher  and  severed  them 
with  my  knife.  The  whole  arrangement  was  cunningly 
contrived  in  truth  ;  but  a  sharp  blade  cut  the  bonds 
quickly  enough,  and  I  soon  had  him  out  of  the  carriage. 

"  Have  you  strength  to  ride,  sire  ? "  I  said,  finding 
he  was  staggering  feebly  on  my  arm. 

"I  don't  know,"  he  said  ;  and  then,  being  but  a  lad, 
the  sudden  revulsion  of  feeling  proved  too  great  a 
strain,  and  the  tears  started  to  his  eyes,  and  he  stum- 
bled and  leaned  helplessly  against  me. 

"  Courage,  sire  ;  all  is  well  now  ;  "  and  I  gave  him  a 
sip  of  brandy  from  my  small  pocket-flask.  He  rallied 
with  a  splendid  effort,  and  pulled  himself  together. 

"  I  can  try,  senor,"  he  said  pluckily,  and  smiled. 

It  was  now  more  than  time  for  us  to  be  off.  A  glance 
back  along  the  road  showed  me  one  of  the  mounted  men 
was  running  toward  us,  the  fellow  I  had  ridden  down 
was  coming  back  to  consciousness,  while  the  others 
had  recovered  from  their  surprise  and  hurts,  and  were 
rallying  to  stop  us. 

My  horse  and  the  other  which  had  galloped  up  with 
us  I  had  fastened  to  the  pole  of  the  carriage,  and  I 
decided  to  take  up  the  boy  King  on  my  saddle  for  a 


AFTER   THE    RESCUE      189 

mile  or  two  until  he  had  regained  sufficient  strength  to 
ride. 

I  mounted,  therefore,  helped  him  up  in  front  of  me, 
and,  holding  him  and  leading  the  second  horse,  started 
at  the  best  pace  we  could  make.  After  we  had  ridden 
in  this  cumbersome  style  for  about  a  mile,  my  charge 
said  he  felt  quite  strong  enough  to  ride.  We  dis- 
mounted, and  I  set  him  upon  the  second  horse,  and  we 
were  just  setting  forward  again  when  he  said — 

"  You  are  wearing  a  mask,  senor  ?  "  A  touch  of  fear 
was  in  the  tone. 

"  I  had  forgotten  it,  sire.  I  did  not  wish  to  be 
recognised  by  the  men  from  whom  I  took  you.  They 
might  make  powerful  and  secret  enemies  !  "  and  I  took 
it  off  and  pocketed  it. 

"  It  is  they  who  will  fear  you,  not  you  fear  them. 
And  you  did  this  all  by  yourself  !  "  The  earnest  boyish 
admiration  was  so  frank  and  free  that  I  smiled.  "  Where 
are  we  going  ? "  he  asked  next,  and  leaning  across  he 
held  out  his  hand.  "  I  trust  you,  of  course,  implicitly." 

I  grasped  it  warmly. 

"  I  think  we  can  do  no  better  than  make  our  way 
back  by  the  Coudova  road.  I  know  it  well,  and  we  can 
cover  most  of  the  way  at  the  gallop.  If  anything  should 
have  been  heard  of  this,  Her  Majesty  will  be  almost 
mad  with  anxiety." 

"  Ah,  my  dear  mother  !  You  are  as  thoughtful  as  you 
are  brave,  senor.  What  a  debt  do  we  and  Spain  not  owe 
to  you  !  " 

"  Forward  then,"  I  said,  and  urging  my  horse  to  a 
quick  canter  we  pushed  on  rapidly. 

We  scarcely  spoke  as  we  rode,  except  when  I  had  a 
word  to  say  about  the  direction.  I  on  my  side  had  no 


i9o   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

wish  for  conversation,  and  the  young  King  needed  all 
his  strength  and  attention  for  his  horse.  Twice,  how- 
ever, we  had  to  draw  rein  to  wind  the  horses  up  hills 
and  then  he  asked  me  the  question  which  I  had  been 
anticipating  and  which  I  did  not  know  how  to  answer. 

"  You  have  not  told  me  your  name,  senor  ? " 

"And  with  your  Majesty's  permission  I  will  for  the 
present  remain  unknown.  I  am  an  Englishman,  and 
having  been  a  witness  of  the  attack  upon  your  carriage, 
followed  in  the  hope  of  being  of  service." 

"An  Englishman  I"  he  exclaimed,  in  great  surprise. 
Then,  after  a.  long  pause,  "  I  have  always  read  and 
heard  what  a  brave  nation  you  English  are — now  I 
know  it  for  myself.  But  you  must  let  us  know  your 
name.  My  mother  will  insist  ;  and  I — well,  I  should 
never  be  happy  unless  I  knew  it.  I  am  only  a  boy, 
senor  ;  but  I  shall  never  forget  you,  and  never  rest  till 
I  have  shown  what  I  think  of  your  courage." 

"  It  is  more  than  probable  I  may  some  day  ask  you 
for  some  favour  ;  but  for  the  present  permit  me  to  re- 
main unknown." 

We  galloped  forward  again  then,  and  as  we  rode  I 
thought  the  matter  over.  If  it  were  known  at  once  in 
the  palace  that  Ferdinand  Carbonnell  had  effected  the 
rescue,  there  would  be  two  immediate  consequences, 
both  likely  to  be  disastrous  to  my  plans.  The  Carlists 
would  assuredly  hear  of  it,  and  my  life  would  be  in 
danger  ;  while  Sebastian  Quesada  would  know  at  once, 
and  my  chances  of  successfully  fighting  him  would  be 
almost  hopelessly  minimised. 

When  we  drew  rein  the  second  time,  therefore,  at  a 
hill  just  before  we  reached  the  city,  I  carried  the  plan 
further. 


AFTER   THE    RESCUE      191 

"  Your  Majesty  was  good  enough  to  say  that  you 
trusted  me  ;  may  I  at  once  request  a  favour  ? " 

"  There  is  nothing  you  can  ask  in  my  mother's  or 
my  power  to  grant,  senor,  which  you  may  not  now  con- 
sider granted  before  it  is  sought,"  he  answered,  en- 
thusiastically. 

"  It  is  that  you  will  permit  me  to  leave  you  as  soon 
as  we  come  in  sight  of  the  Palace,  sire,  and  that  you 
will  grant  me  an  audience  at  some  future  time." 

"Ah,  you  strain  my  gratitude,  senor,  with  such  a 
request,"  he  cried  with  a  right  kingly  air.  "My  mother 
will  never  forgive  me  if  I  let  you  leave  me  until  she  has 
thanked  you.  You  cannot  know  her,  if  you  ask  this. 
As  for  the  second  request,  where  I  am  you  will  always 
be  a  most  welcome  guest,  and  my  most  esteemed  and 
trusted  friend."  Then,  guiding  his  horse  close  to  me, 
he  put  his  hand  on  my  arm,  and  lapsing  again  into  the 
boy,  he  said  eagerly  and  pleadingly  :  "  Do  let  my  mother 
thank  you,  senor.  You  must." 

"  I  have  more  than  private  reasons,  sire.  Permit  me 
to  press  my  request."  I  spoke  firmly,  for  my  mind  was 
made  up  :  and  perceiving  it,  he  gave  way. 

"But  how  shall  I  know  when  some  senor  incognito 
asks  for  an  interview  that  it  is  my  friend?"  and  he 
laughed. 

"  We  were  close  to  Podrida  when  I  was  fortunately 
able  to  rescue  you  ;  if  I  send  you  word  that  the  English- 
man of  Podrida  desires  an  audience,  you  will  know." 

"  The  Englishman  of  Podrida  !  "  he  repeated,  smil- 
ing. <:  The  Englishman  of  Podrida.  Yes.  That  will 
do.  No.  Stay,  I  have  a  fancy,  and  will  make  a  re- 
quest in  my  turn.  You  wore  a  mask.  Give  it  me  as  a 
keepsake,  and  it  shall  be  the  sure  password  to  me. 


SARITA,    THE   CARLIST 

When  an  Englishman  wants  to  see  me  concerning  a 
mask,  I  shall  know  it  is  you,  my  Englishman  of  Pod- 
rida  ;  "  and  he  laughed,  almost  boisterously,  as  I  handed 
him  the  silken  mask.  "  But  my  mother  will  be  sorely 
disappointed,"  he  added,  his  face  falling. 

"  There  is  only  one  other  point,  sire.  You  will  do 
me  a  further  favour  if  you  will  suppress  the  fact  that 
it  is  an  Englishman  who  has  been  so  fortunate  as  to 
help  you,  and  if  in  giving  any  version  of  the  facts  you 
will  keep  that  for  your  own  knowledge  and  for  her 
Majesty's  ears  only." 

"  Surely  none  but  an  Englishman  would  ask  that,"  he 
answered  ;  but  he  gave  me  the  promise,  and  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  later  the  Palace  came  in  sight,  and  we 
halted. 

"  I  shall  see  you  again  soon.  I  shall  be  all  impa- 
tience." 

"  If  your  Majesty  keeps  to  the  arrangements  for 
your  attendance  at  the  Opera  to-night,  a  scrutiny  of 
the  crowd  who  will  welcome  you  may  discover  my  face 
among  those  present.  It  would  be  a  wise  and  reassur- 
ing step." 

"  I  shall  be  there,  of  course,"  he  said,  and  gave  me 
his  hand. 

I  watched  his  boyish  figure  as  he  rode  sharply  for- 
ward and  entered  the  Palace  gates,  the  sentries  saluting 
with  a  start  of  surprise  ;  and  then,  turning  my  horse 
aside,  I  made  my  way  back  to  the  stables,  and  from 
there  drove  to  my  own  rooms. 

I  was  naturally  elated,  and  indeed  exultant,  at  the 
success  of  my  scheme  of  rescue.  Come  what  might,  I 
had  made  firm  friends  at  the  Palace,  a  result  that 
might  be  of  incalculable  value  in  the  crisis  that  I  knew 


AFTER    THE    RESCUE      193 

was  at  hand.  But  I  had  still  much  to  do,  and  in  truth 
scarcely  knew  what  step  to  take  first, 

I  held  in  my  possession  the  proofs,  in  Quesada's  own 
handwriting,  of  his  complicity  in  the  abduction  plot, 
and  had  seen  for  myself  the  precision  of  his  informa- 
tion and  the  deadly  reality  of  his  plans  against  the 
young  King  ;  but  how  could  I  bring  it  home  to  him  ? 
He  would  deny  everything,  and  my  word  against  his 
would  be  no  more  than  a  puff  of  air  against  a  cannon 
ball. 

Gradually  one  group  of  questions  disentangled  them- 
selves from  the  rest  as  of  chief  importance.  How  to 
secure  Sarita's  safety  ?  I  knew  that  Quesada  had 
everything  in  readiness  to  strike  a  crushing  blow  at  the 
Carlists,  not  only  in  Madrid,  but  in  other  centres  of 
disaffection.  I  believed  that  he  had  laid  his  plans  for 
this  in  order  to  stamp  out  the  whole  agitation  when 
once  the  King  was  out  of  the  way  ;  but  how  would  he 
act  now  that  half  the  scheme  had  failed  ?  More  than 
that,  how  would  Sarita  herself  act  ?  There  was  but 
one  means  to  find  this  out — to  see  them  both  with  the 
least  delay  ;  and  in  the  meantime  to  warn  Livenza  to 

fly. 

I  changed  hurriedly  into  evening  dress  and  drove  to 
Livenza's  house ;  and  there  I  found  strange  news 
awaiting  me.  The  place  was  in  possession  of  the  ser- 
vants only.  My  uneasiness  may  be  imagined  when  I 
learned  that  the  reason  for  this  was  nothing  less  than 
a  visit  from  Quesada  himself. 

"  The  colonel  was  ill,  and  the  young  doctor  was  in 
attendance  when  I  came  this  afternoon,"  I  said  to  the 
servant.  "  How  came  he  to  recover  so  quickly  as  to 
be  able  to  leave  the  house  ?  " 


i94   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"  I  dt>  not  know,  senor.  The  Senor  Quesada  came 
here  about  an  hour  and  a  half  since,  and  insisted  upon 
seeing  my  master.  The  doctor  protested,  but  the 
senor  prevailed  ;  and  some  ten  minutes  later  the  doctor 
left  the  house  and  has  not  returned.  Senor  Quesada 
remained  some  time  with  my  master — he  was  here  per- 
haps half  an  hour  in  all — and  some  few  minutes  after 
he  left  my  master  went  out.  I  know  no  more." 

Remembering  the  doctor's  address,  I  drove  there  at 
once,  and  what  he  told  me  made  matters  appear  not 
better,  but  worse. 

"  You  did  not  tell  me  there  was  any  political  in- 
triguing involved  in  this  work,"  he  said,  with  some 
indignation.  "  A  pretty  mess  for  me  it  may  be,  with 
mighty  ugly  consequences.  Had  I  known,  I  should 
have  left  the  fees  for  someone  else  to  earn." 

"  There  is  nothing  of  the  kind,"  I  answered  pretty 
sharply.  "  You  can  come  to  no  harm.  I  will  hold 
you  harmless." 

"  Thank  you  for  nothing.  I  know  Senor  Quesada's 
influence  and  power  to  hit  hard,  and  I  don't  know 
yours." 

"  This  was  a  matter  between  Colonel  Livenza  and 
myself.  Will  you  tell  me  what  passed  this  afternoon  ?  " 

"  Senor  Quesada  came  there  in  a  devil  of  a  temper, 
and  when  I  tried  to  stop  him  seeing  my  patient,  his 
reply  was  the  pretty  one  that  if  I  attempted  to  resist 
him  a  minute  longer  he'd  pack  me  off  to  gaol  for  a 
Carlist.  And  by  the  Lord  he  meant  it  too  :  for  he 
hadn't  been  closeted  with  Livenza  five  minutes  before 
he  came  out  to  me  and  told  me  I  was  either  a  dupe  or 
a  conspirator,  and  that  if  I  wasn't  out  of  the  house  in 
a  twinkling  he'd  take  the  latter  view  and  act  on  it  j 


AFTER   THE    RESCUE      195 

and  that  there  was  much  more  in  the  thing  than  I 
seemed  to  think." 

"  And  you  left  ?  " 

"  I'm  not  quite  such  a  mule  as  to  prefer  a  gaol  to 
my  present  quarters,  thank  you." 

"You  have  not  had  your  fees,"  I  said,  pulling  out 
my  purse  to  pay  him. 

"  And  don't  want  any,  if  you  please." 

"  You  explained,  of  course,  that  I  had  retained  you  ?  " 

"  I  told  him  everything  that  had  passed,  and  thank 
my  patron  saint  I  got  out  of  the  place  without  a  police 
escort." 

I  made  such  apology  to  him  as  I  could,  and  left  him, 
quite  unappeased  and  still  full  of  indignation,  and  drove 
in  all  haste  to  Quesada's  house,  feeling  very  anxious. 
Matters  were  moving  very  fast,  much  faster  than  I 
had  anticipated,  and  I  saw  that  I  must  play  my  card 
boldly. 

I  half  expected  he  would  deny  himself,  but  I  was 
shown  in  without  hesitation,  and  his  sister  came  to  me. 
She  was  looking  very  troubled  and  pale,  I  thought  ;  but 
she  greeted  me  with  her  customary  warmth  and  cor- 
diality. 

"  You  have  not  been  to  see  us  since  your  return  from 
England,  Senor  Carbonnell.  That  is  not  how  we  in- 
terpret friendship  in  Spain." 

"  I  have  been  back  only  two  days,  senorita,  and  they 
have  been  very  full  ones.  J  pray  you  to  excuse  me. 
And  even  now  I  have  come  to  see  your  brother  on 
business." 

"  That  is  engagingly  frank,  at  any  rate,"  and  she 
tossed  her  head. 

"  I  am  very  clumsy  in  my  phrase,  I  fear  ;  but  very 


196    SARITA,    THE   CARLIST 

anxious.  Do  not  think  it  is  not  a  pleasure  to  me  to 
see  you." 

"  Do  you  English  generally  seek  pleasure  by  avoiding 
it  ? " 

"  Scarcely  so  ;  but  with  us  self-denial  is  sometimes 
counted  a  virtue,"  and  I  made  her  an  elaborate  bow  to 
point  the  compliment. 

"  Have  you  practised  the  same  self-denial  with  all 
your  Madrid  friends  ?  "  and  a  sharp  little  glance  told 
me  her  meaning. 

"  I  am  unfortunate  indeed  ;  for  all  my  Madrid  friends 
are  making  the  same  complaint." 

"  I  am  surprised.  For  they  have  not  all  the  same 
ground  as  I  have.  Do  you  know  how  much  I  wish  to 
be  your  friend,  senor?  " 

"  I  know  that  I  could  not  rank  your  friendship  too 
high." 

"  Ah,  you  fence  with  me  ;  but  it  is  useless,  I  know. 
And  the  time  may  come  when  my  friendship  may  be  of 
more  account  to  you  than  a  mere  well-turned  phrase." 

"  It  must  ever  be  one  of  my  choicest  possessions,"  I 
answered,  wondering  what  on  earth  she  meant  now. 

"  Sebastian  is  not  at  home  just  now,  but  he  will  be 
here  soon.  Do  you  think  you  are  wise  in  seeing  him  ? " 

"  I  have  come  for  that  purpose,  senorita,"  I  said, 
firmly. 

"  What  have  you  done  to  alienate  him  ?  Don't  you 
know  that  although  he  can  be  a  true  friend — and  he 
wishes  above  all  things  to  be  one — he  can  also  be  a 
much  more  powerful  enemy?"  There  was  no  mistak- 
ing her  tone  now  for  any  but  one  of  solicitude  for  me. 
What  had  he  been  telling  her  ? 

"I  should  have  made  poor  use  of  my  intercourse 


AFTER    THE    RESCUE      197 

with  him  if  I  did  not  know  that,"  I  answered.  "But 
will  you  tell  me  exactly  what  you  mean  ?" 

"  No — I  cannot ;  except  that  you  have  angered  him 
sorely  in  some  way,  and  if  you  are  not  careful  will 
stand  in  great  danger." 

"  That  must  be  as  it  will,  senorita.  But  I  was  wrong 
to  put  that  question  to  you.  I  should  rather  put  it  to 
your  brother  himself,  and  I  will  do  so." 

"  Could  you  not  leave  Spain  for  a  while  ?  " 

At  that  moment  we  heard  the  sounds  of  someone  in 
the  hall  outside  the  room  ;  and  the  senorita  drew  a 
quick  breath,  bit  her  lip,  and  turned  to  listen. 

"  That  is  Sebastian.  Oh,  senor,  be  careful,  and  do 
what  he  may  suggest  to  you  ;  be  advised  by  him.  You 
have  rendered  us  such  a  service  he  will  not  forget  it,  of 
course  he  never  can.  But  do  not  anger  him.  I  too  am 
your  friend  ;  and  I  can  help  you.  Do,  do  let  us  be  your 
friends.  I  can  do  much  with  him,  and  for  my  sake  he 
will,  I  know,  do  what  he  can.  When  I  think  of  your 
possible  danger,  it  strikes  me  to  the  heart  ;  it  kills  me. 
Let  me  beg  of  you,"  and  her  agitation  was  so  great  that 
she  was  scarcely  coherent.  "  But  there  is  one  thing 
you  must  not  try  to  thwart  him  in.  Oh,  I  scarcely 
know  what  I  am  saying,"  and  she  wrung  her  hands  in 
such  manifest  distress  that  I  was  deeply  surprised. 

"  I  am  in  no  danger,  senorita,"  I  answered  calmly,  to 
reassure  her.  "  But  if  I  should  be,  the  knowledge  of 
your  warning  and  of  your  offer  of  help  will  always  be 
a  welcome  thought."  To  my  yet  deeper  surprise  my 
words  appeared  to  affect  her  profoundly,  and  she  seized 
my  hand  and  pressed  her  lips  upon  it,  the  tears  in  her 
eyes. 

Scarcely  a  reassuring  preface  for  my  interview  with 


198   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

her  brother,  who  entered  the  room  a  moment  later. 
He  gave  me  a  sharp,  penetrating  look,  glanced,  I 
thought  angrily,  at  his  sister,  and  exclaimed  in  a  tone 
of  surprise,  "  Dolores  !  "  and  then,  after  a  pause,  "You 
had  better  leave  us."  He  held  the  door  for  her  to 
leave,  and  as  he  closed  it  behind  her  he  turned  to  me 
and  said,  with  a  questioning  frown  on  his  forehead — 
"  Are  you  here  as  a  friend,  or  in  what  capacity  ? " 
"  I  have  much  to  say  to  you,"  I  returned  calmly. 
"And  we  can  best  ask  and  answer  that  question  mu- 
tually when  the  interview  is  over." 

I  met  his  look  with  one  as  firm  as  his  own,  and  he 
sat  down  at  his  writing-table  and  waited  for  me  to  open 
the  ball. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

WAR    TO    THE     KNIFE 

I     DID  not    keep    Sebastian  Quesada  waiting,   but 
plunged  at  once  into  my  business. 

"  I  do  not  think  our  interview  need  be  a  very 
long  one,  and  I  will  state  my  object  at  once.  It  con- 
cerns Sarita  Castelar.  I  know  that  preparations 
for  decisive  action  against  the  Carlists  have  been 
made,  and  that  all  is  in  readiness  for  the  signal  from 
you.  I  have  just  heard  very  terrible  news  in  the  city 
to-night,  concerning  a  mad  wild  act  of  theirs,  and 
being  anxious  for  a  reassurance  on  the  senorita's 
account,  I  have  come  to  ask  you  for  it." 

"You  will  do  more  wisely  not  to  interfere  in  our 
political  matters,"  he  answered  curtly,  with  a  frown  at 
the  mention  of  Sarita. 

"I  am  obliged,  of  course,  by  your  friendly  counsel  ; 
but  excuse  me  if  I  say  I  have  not  come  for  advice,  but 
information." 

"  I  have  none  to  give  you  ;  "  and  his  tone  was  even 
sharper  than  before.  It  was  as  stern  and  hard  indeed 
as  his  look  was  dour.  But  in  a  moment  a  great  change 
came.  His  eyes  softened  and  his  face  brightened, 
and,  using  the  tone  of  our  former  intercourse,  he 
added  :  "  Why  can't  we  remain  friends,  Carbormell  ? 
Why  do  you  come  to  me  like  this  ?  It  is  but  an  hour 


200   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

or  two  since  we  parted,  and  nothing  can  have  occurred 
since  that  need  estrange  us  ;  and  there  was  no  cloud 
between  us  then.  Don't  you  think  I  wish  to  be  your 
friend  now  as  I  did  then  ?  " 

I  looked  at  him  in  considerable  surprise.  His  over- 
tures did  not  touch  me  in  the  least ;  I  was  searching 
for  his  motive  and  could  not  find  it. 

"Before  you  and  I  can  speak  again  of  friendship, 
there  are  matters  which  must  be  explained,"  I  answered, 
coldly.  "  Since  I  saw  you  this  afternoon,  you  have 
impliedly  accused  me  of  complicity  in  this  Carlist 
business  :  I  have  that  from  the  doctor  whom  you 
frightened  away  from  Colonel  Livenza's  house.  You 
have  also  intervened  in  the  quarrel  between  Colonel 
Livenza  and  myself — a  quarrel  which  had  its  origin  in 
an  errand  on  which  you  sent  him." 

He  listened  closely,  and  was  too  skilled  in  masking 
his  looks  to  give  any  indication  of  the  effect  of  my 
words.  But  I  thought  he  was  surprised  when  I  stopped, 
having  said  so  little. 

"Your  quarrel  with  Livenza  was  the  outcome  of  the 
scene  at  the  Cafe"  de  1'Europe,  where  the  hot-headed 
fool  insulted  you." 

"  No,  that  was  the  open  cause.  The  real  one  was 
the  result  of  his  coming  to  Senorita  Castelar's  at  the 
time  I  was  there — a  visit  timed  by  you." 

"  Livenza  is  in  love  with  the  senorita,  and  hopes  to 
marry  her  ;  and  you  know  how  some  of  us  Spaniards 
feel  on  such  matters.  But  what  is  this  to  me  ? " 

"  You  had  given  me  good  news  to  carry  to  her,  you 
knew  when  I  was  going,  and  you  sent  Livenza  there. 
What  happened  afterwards  was  the  direct  consequence." 

"  It  is  preposterous  !  "  he  cried,  with  a  shrug  of  the 


WAR   TO    THE    KNIFE      201 

shoulders.  "As  if  I  could  be  responsible  for  what  two 
angry  men  do  when  they  quarrel.  Really  !  "  and  he 
laughed.  Clearly  he  was  relieved  that  I  had  nothing 
worse  to  say.  "  I  am  glad  at  any  rate  that  you  have 
not  hurt  each  other."  This  with  a  scarcely  veiled 
sneer. 

"  When  a  man  who  professc  ;  to  be  my  friend  deliber- 
ately tries  to  embroil  me  in  ::n  affair  which  may  cost 
me  my  life,  I  do  not  dismiss  it  with  a  shrug  of  the 
shoulders  and  a  laugh,  as  something  too  trivial  to  be 
noticed.  But  if  you  will  give  me  the  information  I 
came  for,  I  will  go." 

"  I  have  no  information  to  give  you  ;  "  and  he  got  up. 

"  To  that  I  answer  I  am  not  going  without  it,  nor 
without  an  assurance  and  a  proof  of  Sarita  Castelar's 
safety — and  safety  without  any  entangling  complica- 
tions ;  "  and  I  looked  at  him  as  I  said  the  last  sentence 
with  a  meaning  that  did  not  escape  him. 

"  The  only  information  I  can  give  you  is  that  which 
to-morrow  will  be  public  property  ;  that  our  police  and 
soldiery  are  even  now  engaged  in  hunting  out  these 
reckless  traitors  and  conspirators  who  have  carried 
their  audacity  to  the  point  of  abducting  our  beloved 
young  King.  All  those  who  have  had  a  hand  in  this 
dastardly  scheme  will  suffer,  and  if  the  Senorita  Caste- 
lar  has  been  mad  enough  to  meddle  with  such  treason, 
no  power  in  the  State  can  save  her  from  the  conse- 
quences." 

But  instead  of  being  impressed  by  his  vehemence  I 
smiled. 

"  And  you  say  all  would  suffer  ? " 

"  Every  man,  woman,  and  child  concerned.  I  have 
this  moment  come  from  a  Council  of  State," 


202   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"And  the  master  mind  who  planned  this  coup  and 
by  whose  help  and  information  it  was  alone  possible  ?" 
As  I  half  unsheathed  this  sword  of  attack,  his  own 
weapon  leapt  at  once  from  the  scabbard,  and  he 
answered  hotly — 

"  Is  one  Ferdinand  Carbonnell,  senor?"  He  spoke 
with  grim  significance,  meeting  my  look  with  eyes  full 
of  fire  and  threat,  and  his  misinterpretation  of  my 
meaning  was  wilful.  "A  name  that  at  a  word  from 
me  will  be  full  of  peril  for  its  owner.  We  Spaniards 
love  our  King  with  a  force  which  the  people  of  other 
countries  cannot  fathom." 

There  was  no  mistaking  his  meaning.  He  knew  of 
the  coincidence  which  had  bound  up  my  name  so  closely 
with  the  Carlist  intrigues,  and  he  was  threatening  to 
saddle  the  responsibility  upon  me.  Nor  was  it  by  any 
means  an  empty  threat  in  the  present  temper  of  the 
loyalists.  Once  get  me  packed  away  into  a  Spanish 
gaol  on  such  a  charge,  and  I  might  whistle  either  for 
the  chance  of  a  fair  trial  or  an  opportunity  of  even 
communicating  with  the  outside — to  say  nothing  of 
approaching  the  King.  The  scent  of  personal  danger 
began  to  come  near  ;  and  I  recalled  how  on  more  than 
one  occasion  he  had  warned  me  against  meddling  with 
Carlist  matters. 

He  watched  me  closely  in  the  short  pause,  and  then 
broke  it  to  say  in  a  tone  conciliatory  and  temperate — 

"  I  am  still  willing  to  be  your  friend.  Leave  Madrid 
to-night  and  cross  the  frontier  with  all  speed,  and  all 
may  be  well.  I  cannot  answer  for  what  my  colleagues 
will  do  when  they  know  who  Ferdinand  Carbonnell  is, 
and  that  he  is  a  member  of  the  British  Embassy  staff. 
Be  advised  and  go  while  there  is  time," 


WAR   TO    THE    KNIFE      203 

He  had  flashed  the  sword  of  danger  in  my  face,  and 
now,  like  a  clever  tactician,  dangled  the  chance  of 
escape  before  me. 

"  Do  I  understand  you  to  mean  that,  knowing 
thoroughly  who  I  am  and  that  I  am  absolutely  un- 
touched by  these  matters,  you  yourself  would  be  so 
mean  a  liar  as  to  say  that  I  am  Ferdinand  Carbonnell 
the  Carlist  ?  "  I  spoke  with  the  galling  sting  of  slow, 
precise  deliberation  ;  and  even  his  practised  self-re- 
straint could  not  repress  a  start  of  anger  nor  prevent 
his  sallow  face  turning  pale  at  this  thrust.  But  my 
anger  had  betrayed  me  into  a  bad  blunder — I  saw  it 
the  moment  the  words  were  out  of  my  lips  ;  and  as  he 
recovered  himself  he  shrugged  his  shoulders  and  threw 
up  his  hands  as  he  faced  me.  It  was  a  declaration  of 
war  from  me,  and  as  such  he  treated  it.  His  tone  was 
as  level  as  my  own — stern,  official,  and  hard. 

"  I  know  nothing  of  yourself  or  your  history  except 
what  you  have  told  me.  You  say  you  came  here  a  few 
weeks  since,  and  yet  I  find  your  name  known  every- 
where. You  rendered  my  sister  a  service,  and  then 
used  it  to  work  your  way  into  my  confidence.  In  that 
confidence  I  have  said  many  things  to  you,  which  you 
may  have  used  for  these  Carlist  purposes.  I  gave  you 
my  confidence  and  my  friendship  because  I  believed  all 
you  told  me.  If  my  faith  in  you  was  wrongly  placed, 
you  have  had  opportunities  of  getting  information. 
Things  have,  I  know,  leaked  out,  but  I  have  never 
thought  of  you  before  in  this  connection.  For  aught  I 
know  to  the  contrary — for  I  know  only  what  you  have 
told  me,  I  repeat — you  may  be  this  other  Ferdinand 
Carbonnell." 

"  By  God,  but  you  are  a  blackguard,"  I  cried,  my 


204   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

rage  leaping  quite  beyond  control,  as  I  jumped  to  my 
feet.  "  The  worst  that  men  say  of  you  is  not  half  so 
bad  as  this  foul  conduct.  Do  your  worst.  Tell  this 
lie  if  you  will.  Fling  me  into  one  of  your  gaols  if  you 
dare — and  I  will  leave  it  to  prove  that  the  man  who 
planned  this  act  against  the  King,  which  fills  you  now 
with  such  honest  patriotic  indignation,  was  not  Ferdi- 
nand Carbonnell,  but  you,  Sebastian  Quesada,  and 
prove  it  I  can  under  your  own  handwriting.  Stop," 
I  thundered,  as  I  saw  him  making  his  way  to  the  bell 
to  summon  assistance.  "  Try  to  bring  your  servants 
here,  and  I'll  fling  myself  on  you  and  choke  the  life  out 
of  you  before  they  can  come.  I  have  yet  a  word,  and 
you'd  better  hear  it.  You  wrote  me  a  note  to-day  to 
ask  me  to  ride  with  you."  He  started  and  glanced  at 
me  as  I  made  an  intentional  pause.  "  At  the  same  time 
you  were  writing  another  note  giving  the  latest  news 
of  the  young  King's  movements,  so  that  these  Carlists 
might  trap  him  safely.  That  note  I  received  and 
possess  ;  the  other  went  to  your  jackal  Livenza  for  him 
to  make  the  necessary  arrangements.  Those  notes  are 
in  safe  hands,  and  if  you  dare  to  lay  a  finger  on  me  the 
whole  plan  will  be  revealed — the  whole  truth  told,  with 
all  your  black  treachery  uppermost." 

His  answer  was  more  in  character  than  any  he  had 
yet  made.  He  turned  to  his  table  and  sounded  his  bell 
vigorously  ;  and  for  a  few  moments  of  tense  silence  we 
waited. 

"  Send  Senor  Rubio  to  me,"  he  said  to  the  servant 
who  came. 

I  knew  the  name  as  that  of  one  df  the  chief  police 
agents ;  and  knew  also  that  he  had  determined  to  have 
me  arrested. 


WAR   TO    THE    KNIFE      205 

"  I  am  a  member  of  the  British  Embassy,  Senor 
Quesada.  If  you  molest  me,  I  warn  you  of  the  conse- 
quences." 

"  I  offered  you  my  friendship  and  protection,  and 
you  declined  them  and  heaped  abuse  on  me.  You  shall 
now  feel  my  power." 

I  made  no  reply,  and  then  the  police  official  entered 
— a  spare,  dark,  ferrety-faced  man,  with  quick-twin- 
kling eyes. 

"  Senor  Rubio,  you  have  a  warrant  for  the  arrest  of 
Senorita  Sarita  Castelar,  which  I  told  you  to  hold 
back." 

"  I  have,  your  Excellency." 

"You  will  execute  it  at  once.  This  is  Senor  Ferdi- 
nand Carbonnell,  of  whom  you  know  ;  hold  him  in 
custody  ;  the  warrant  will  be  made  out." 

"  I  am  a  British  subject,  and  a  member  of  the  British 
Embassy  here  in  Madrid.  I  shall  resist  arrest,  and 
hold  you  responsible  for  any  consequences." 

The  official  heard  this  with  some  dismay,  and  looked 
at  the  Minister  for  an  explanation. 

"  Do  your  duty,  Senor  Rubio.     You  have  my  orders." 

"You  must  come  with  me,  please,"  said  the  man, 
turning  to  me. 

"  I  am  armed,"  was  my  reply. 

"  Get  the  help  you  need,"  cried  Quesada,  sternly. 
"  Do  you  hear  ? "  he  added,  angrily,  for  the  man  paused  ; 
but  at  this  he  went  to  the  door  and  opened  it  to  call 
assistance.  It  was  clear  he  had  little  stomach  for  the 
task  ;  and  he  appeared  no  less  relieved  than  surprised 
when,  instead  of  his  police  assistants,  Dolores  Quesada 
entered.  She  was  looking  pale  and  very  agitated,  but 
said  to  her  brother  quite  firmly — 


206SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"  I  heard  that  Senor  Rubio  had  been  sent  for;  and 
before  anything  more  is  done  I  have  something  to  say 
to  you.  Dismiss  him  for  a  moment." 

To  my  surprise,  her  brother  sent  him  away. 

"Have  you  ordered  Senor  Carbonhell's  arrest?" 

"  This  is  no  concern  of  yours,  Dolores." 

"  Why  have  you  two  quarrelled  ?  "  she  cried  passion- 
ately, and  turned  to  me  as  if  demanding  an  explana- 
tion. But  I,  of  course,  could  give  her  none,  and  said 
so. 

"  Sebastian,  Senor  Carbonnell  shall  not  be  arrested. 
I  will  not  have  it." 

"  Senor  Carbonnell  will  scarcely  wish  to  owe  his 
safety  to  you,"  he  answered,  with  an  ugly  sneer.  "  Nor 
is  this  a  matter  in  which  I  can  allow  you  to  interfere. 
He  has  come  here  purely  out  of  solicitude  for  the  safety 
of  his  friend — Sarita  Castelar.  You  owe  him  thanks  for 
what  he  did  for  you,  and,  remembering  that,  I  have 
tried  to  induce  him  to  leave  the  country.  He  will  not, 
and  as  he  remains  he  must  take  the  consequences. 
This  is  a  State  matter,  and,  I  repeat,  you  must  not  in- 
terfere. It  can  do  you  no, good." 

That  there  was  a  meaning  under  his  words  which  she 
understood  was  clear  by  her  change  of  colour  ;  but 
when  he  finished  she  turned  upon  him  as  if  to  retort 
angrily.  She  checked  herself,  however,  and  instead 
asked  me,  in  a  voice  that  only  with  a  great  effort  she  was 
able  to  keep  firm  and  cool :  "Will  you  not  give  your 
word  to  leave  Spain,  Senor  Carbonnell  ? " 

"  Certainly  I  cannot  and  will  not,  senorita,"  I  replied, 
marvelling  much  at  the  turn  things  were  taking. 

"You  hear?"  exclaimed  Quesada,  lifting  his  eye- 
brows. "  You  know  why  he  stays  ?  " 


WAR    TO   THE   KNIFE      207 

This  seemed  to  strike  right  at  her  heart.  She  sank 
into  a  chair  and  bent  her  head  on  her  hand. 

"  This  step  is  necessary,  Dolores.  Be  warned  ;  and 
leave  us,"  he  continued,  in  the  same  meaning  tone. 

"I  do  not  care,  I  do  not  care.  This  shall  not  be.  I 
swear  it  shall  not.  I  swear  by  the  Holy  Virgin  it  shall 
not."  Her  words  came  with  almost  hysterical  vehe- 
mence. "  I  claim  his  safety.  Come  what  may,  I  dare 
you  to  harm  him,  Sebastian.  I  dare  you,"  and  she 
sprang  to  her  feet  again.  "  Senor,  the  way  is  open  for 
you.  I  open  it.  No  one  shall  harm  you.  You  are  a 

man  of  honour,  and  will  at  least  remember  that " 

She  stopped. 

I  felt  vastly  embarrassed  ;  but,  reflecting  how  much 
my  liberty  at  that  moment  might  mean  to  Sarita,  I 
turned  towards  the  door  to  see  if  I  was  really  to  get 
away. 

"  Stay,"  cried  Quesada,  hesitating  in  his  fear  of  what 
I  might  do. 

"  You  are  free  to  go,  senor,"  said  the  sister. 

"  I  shall  always  remember  to  whom  I  owe  my  liberty  ; 
and  unless  I  am  driven  to  act,  by  steps  which  your 
brother  has  threatened,  the  recollection  will  guide  my 
own  attitude." 

"  No,  you  shall  not  go,"  cried  Quesada  again,  this 
time  angrily  and  decidedly. 

"  Sebastian,  if  you  dare  to  thwart  me  in  this,  I  will 
go  straight  to  the  Palace  and  say  what — you  know  I 
can  say." 

"  You  are  ruining  us,  Dolores." 

Her  reply  was  worthy  of  her  brother  for  its  direct- 
ness. She  went  to  the  door,  and  called  in  the  police 
official. 


208   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"  Senor  Rubio,  my  brother  wishes  you  to  understand 
that  he  has  made  a  mistake  in  ordering  this  gentleman's 
arrest.  He  is  a  member  of  the  British  Embassy.  Per- 
mit me,  senor,"  she  said  to  me,  holding  the  door  for 
me  to  pass. 

"Your  Excellency's  wishes ?"  asked  Rubio. 

The  answer  was  a  wave  of  the  hand,  and  I  was  free. 
A  minute  later,  I  was  driving  to  my  rooms,  with  a 
pretty  picture  of  Dolores  Quesada's  anxious  face  in  my 
thoughts. 

How  long  I  should  remain  at  liberty  was  another 
question,  however.  Owing  to  the  power  she  had  over 
him,  of  a  kind  I  could  not  guess,  Dolores  had  succeeded 
in  defeating  his  purpose  for  the  moment ;  but  I  knew 
him  too  well  not  to  think  he  would  instantly  set  about 
repairing  that  defeat  by  indirect  means  unknown  to 
her.  I  was  too  dangerous  to  be  left  at  liberty,  and  he 
knew  it ;  and  probably  his  agents  were  even  now 
starting  out  in  quest  of  me  ;  for  Spanish  prisons  tell  no 
tales. 

But  I  could  at  least  make  good  use  of  my  liberty, 
and  my  first  step  must  be  to  rush  to  my  rooms  and  pro- 
cure a  sufficient  supply  of  money  for  emergencies.  I 
had  quite  long  enough  start  of  the  police  for  this,  as  a 
single  minute  in  the  rooms  would  be  enough. 

Little  did  I  think,  however,  of  the  news  I  should  find 
awaiting  me.  A  telegram  lay  on  the  table,  and  a  glance 
at  its  contents  filled  me  with  surprise,  concern,  and 
pain.  It  was  from  the  family  solicitors  in  London,  and 
ran  as  follows  : 

"  Deeply  regret  to  announce  Lord  Glisfoyle  thrown 
from  horse  this  afternoon  and  picked  up  dead.  Neck 


WAR   TO    THE    KNIFE      209 

broken.     Can  you  return  at  once,  or  wire  instructions  ? 
Writing  you  fully  by  this  post." 

Poor  Lascelles  !  And  as  I  stood  staring  absently  at 
the  message  my  thoughts  went  toppling  head  over  heels 
down  the  staircase  of  the  years  which  he  and  I  had 
climbed  in  so  different  a  fashion. 

We  were  scarcely  a  lucky  race,  we  Carbonnells.  My 
father  had  had  a  struggle  for  many  years,  and  had 
barely  held  the  title  long  enough  to  free  himself,  by 
the  sweating  process  of  rigid  economy,  from  the  smarts 
and  humiliations  of  the  debts  piled  up  in  time  of 
poverty.  Now  Lascelles,  in  the  very  course  of  his 
humdrum,  stay-at-home,  commonplace  life,  had  been 
cut  over  with  a  side  swing  of  the  remorseless  scythe  ; 
and  here  was  I,  the  very  antithesis  of  my  brother,  fly- 
ing for  my  liberty,  my  life  perhaps  in  danger,  and  at 
the  very  moment  of  becoming  head  of  the  Carbonnells, 
known  and  likely  to  be  officially  labelled  as  that  much 
more  fateful  chief,  Ferdinand  Carbonnell,  head  of  the 
most  dangerous  and  violent  section  of  the  Carlists. 
At  the  thought  I  started,  and  seemed  to  catch  a  gleam 
of  light.  I  was  no  longer  mere  Ferdinand  Carbonnell 
— I  was  Lord  Glisfoyle.  Would  Quesada  dare  to  pur- 
sue me  now  ? 

My  answer  was  prompt.  I  crammed  the  telegram 
into  my  pocket,  and  rushed  to  the  drawer  where  my 
money  was  and  thrust  the  whole  of  it  into  another 
pocket,  got  my  revolver  and  a  good  supply  of  car- 
tridges, and  hurried  out  of  the  house.  I  might  be  a 
peer  of  Great  Britain,  but  for  the  moment  I  was  a 
political  fugitive  in  Madrid,  and  Sarita  had  yet  to  be 
saved. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

AT    THE    OPERA    HOUSE 

NOW  that  I  was  on  foot  I  saw  with  much  concern 
what  a  condition  of  tumult  and  confusion  pre- 
vailed in  the  capital.  The  streets  were 
thronged  with  people  talking,  gesticulating,  shouting ; 
some  standing  in  groups,  others  loitering  casually,  and 
others  again  rushing  hither  and  thither  distractedly. 
The  whole  city  everywhere  appeared  to  have  gone 
almost  wild  with  excitement.  Every  street  corner  had 
its  own  clamorous  group — men,  women,  and  children 
mingled  together,  all  manifesting  the  same  symptoms 
of  turbulent  unrest. 

The  police  were  everywhere.  Bodies  of  troops, 
mounted  and  on  foot,  patrolled  the  main  thoroughfares 
and  by-streets  alike  ;  and  ever  and  again  I  met  small 
parties  of  police  or  troops,  or  both  mixed,  hurrying 
along  with  one  or  two  men  or  women  in  their  midst. 
The  sight  of  these  seemed  to  goad  the  populace  almost 
to  frenzy  ;  and  they  broke  into  hoots,  groans,  and  inde- 
scribable cries,  mingled  with  hisses,  oaths,  and  loud 
vehement  execrations. 

I  had  no  need  to  ask  the  cause  of  this,  for  the  key 
was  on  everyone's  tongue,  and  the  cry  was  everywhere 
"  Death  to  the  Carlists  !  "  Wherever  I  turned,  the  air 
rang  with  it  :  in  the  quavering  tone  of  old  age,  in  the 


AT   THE    OPERA    HOUSE    211 

shrill  screech  of  violent  women,  in  the  strident  cry  of 
strong,  angry  men,  even  in  the  puny  squeal  of  children 
held  up  by  their  mothers  to  clench  their  tiny  fists  and 
squeak  a  curse  after  the  Carlist  captives  as  they  were 
hustled  by  to  gaol. 

The  tale  ran  with  its  usual  exaggerations.  "  The 
young  King  had  been  killed,  and  the  Queen  Mother — 
the  Holy  Virgin  preserve  her — lay  dying  from  the 
wounds  received  in  trying  to  save  her  son."  "  No  ;  the 
King  was  not  dead,  only  desperately  wounded,  lying  at 
death's  door,  shot  from  a  distance  by  the  cowards  who 
had  no  stomach  for  an  open  attack."  "  No,  no  ;  the 
King  had  been  stolen  and  the  Queen  murdered,  and 
the  villains  had  even  dared  to  enter  the  Palace  itself, 
and,  thanks  be  to  the  Holy  Saints,  had  been  caught  by 
the  guard  and  clapped  into  gaol,  after  having  been 
nearly  pulled  to  pieces  by  the  mob.  Blessed  be  the 
Virgin,  the  dear  young  King  was  safe."  "  All  wrong  , 
the  King  was  safe,  and  had  been  saved  by  the  great 
Minister  himself,  Quesada  ;  "  and  so  on,  through  the 
whole  gamut  of  conjecturing  ignorance. 

All  this  I  caught  as  I  hurried  at  such  speed  as  I  could 
make  to  Madame  Chansette's  house  in  search  of  Sarita. 
It  was  nothing  to  me  on  what  lies  the  people  fed  them- 
selves or  were  fed  by  Quesada's  agents.  I  knew  that 
his  object  was  to  raise  such  a  popular  clamour  against 
the  Carlists  as  would  strengthen  his  hands  in  the  work 
of  stamping  them  out,  and  the  Spanish  temper  was 
already  running  so  high  that  more  than  one  ugly  rush 
by  the  mob  had  been  made  at  some  of  the  batches  of 
prisoners,  as  if  to  tear  them  to  pieces.  And  I  trembled 
as  I  thought  of  Sarita  in  the  hands  of  these  furious 
violence-mongers, 


212    SARITA,   THE    CARLIST 

There  was  some  risk  for  me,  too,  in  going  to  Madame 
Chansette's.  I  had  heard  the  order  given  to  Rubio  to 
arrest  Sarita  at  once,  and  if  he  and  his  men  were  before 
me,  I  knew  I  might  be  arrested.  The  consideration  did 
not  stop  my  going  to  the  house,  but  it  made  me  keep  a 
very  sharp  eye  for  the  police  agents. 

The  house  wore  its  customary  appearance,  however, 
and  when  I  knocked  I  was  admitted  by  the  servant, 
whom  I  knew  by  sight.  All  seemed  well  so  far.  I 
asked  for  both  Madame  Chansette  and  Sarita,  and  was 
shown  at  once  to  the  former.  I  found  her  weeping 
bitterly,  prostrated,  and  really  ill  with  alarm. 

"I  am  so  thankful  to  see  you.  You  have  heard  this 
awful  news.  Oh,  what  shall  we  do,  what  shall  we  do  ? " 

"  Where  is  Sarita  ? "  I  asked  in  alarm,  thinking  the 
police  had  been  before  me.  "  Is  she  safe  ?  Quick,  for 
God's  sake  tell  me." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  I  know  that  she  is  in  danger  of  arrest.  Where  is 
she  ?  Please  tell  me  everything  you  can.  I  am  on  fire 
with  impatience."  But  my  impetuous  excitement  so 
heightened  her  fear  that,  to  my  consternation,  she  grew 
suddenly  hysterical,  and  I  cursed  myself  for  a  block- 
head, as  I  looked  round  for  scent  and  restoratives  and 
did  my  best  to  calm  her. 

"She  must  be  saved,  Ferdinand,"  she  cried,  help- 
lessly, after  precious  minutes  had  been  wasted.  "  Oh, 
the  rash,  headstrong,  wilful  child  !  " 

"  If  you  will  be  calm  and  tell  me  where  she  is,  I  can 
save  her,"  I  said,  speaking  now  with  forced  deliberation 
and  cool  firmness.  "  But  you  must  be  calm,  and  tell 
me  everything." 

"  I  will  tell  you.     I  did  not  know  till  to-day  that  she 


AT   THE    OPERA    HOUSE    213 

was  actually  plotting  to  get  the  King  stolen  away  by 
these  fearful  Carlists  ;  and  now  it  has  been  done,  and 
she  has  gone  away  somewhere,  and  I  know  it  is  to  take 
some  other  terrible  steps.  I  can  endure  no  more  of  it, 
Ferdinand.  I  love  Sarita  ;  but  I  will  not  stay  another 
day  in  Madrid/' 

"  Do  you  know  where  she  has  gone  ?  " 

"  No — yes — I  don't  know.  All  I  know  is  this  :  She 
came  to  me  about  two  hours  ago,  her  eyes  shining  and 
her  face  on  fire  with  enthusiasm — you  know  how  she 
would  look  at  such  a  time — and  told  me  what  she  had 
been  planning,  and  that  it  had  all  succeeded,  and  that 
she  had  to  go  away  for  an  hour  or  two,  but  would  be 
back  as  soon  as  she  had  finished  the  great  work  there 
was  to  do.  I  was  so  frightened,  I  nearly  fainted.  I 
begged  her  not  to  go — but  you  know  her  ;  "  and 
Madame  Chansette  waved  her  hands  and  shook  her 
head  feebly,  the  tears  still  running  down  her  cheeks. 

"  Do  you  know  where  she  has  gone  ?  "  I  repeated, 
driven  almost  to  my  wit's  end  by  the  waste  of  time 
caused  by  her  weakness. 

"  I  can  only  make  a  guess,  and  I  don't  know  whether 
I  ought  to  have  done  it  ;  "  an  inconsequential  enigma 
which  made  me  bite  my  lip  with  vexation  in  the  effort 
to  restrain  my  impatience.  She  glanced  up  helplessly 
once  or  twice  while  hesitating. 

"  If  you  know  nothing,  I  can  do  nothing,"  I  said,  as 
gently  as  I  could,  to  spur  her. 

"  I  am  almost  ashamed  of  it,  but  I  had  better  say, 
perhaps  ;  I  don't  know  what  you  will  think.  When 
Sarita  came  to  me  she  had  a  letter  in  her  hand,  and 
— and  before  I  quite  knew  what  I  was  doing,  I — I  had 
read  it." 


2i4    SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

"Thank  God  you  did,  if  it  told  you  what  we  want  to 
know." 

"  It  was  only  a  short  note,"  she  said,  relieved  by  my 
reception  of  the  confession,  but  still  apologetic.  Oh, 
these  good,  honest,  weak,  exasperating  people  !  "  It 
said  something  about  all  having  gone  well,  and  that 
she  was  to  go  at  once  to " 

"  Where  ? "  I  cried,  on  fire,  as  she  paused  again. 

"I  think  it  was  47,  or  147,  or  247 — I  know  47  was 
part  of  it — Calle  de  Valencia.  I  am  certain  about  the 
street,  and  she  may  be  there.  Do  you  think  it  was  very 
mean — what's  that?"  She  broke  off  witli  a  start,  and 
began  to  tremble  violently,  as  a  loud  knocking  at  the 
house  door  and  a  great  pealing  of  the  heavy  bell  came 
to  our  ears. 

"  For  God's  sake  be  calm  for  a  minute.  It  is  prob- 
ably the  police  agents  come  to  arrest  Sarita.  Listen, 
please  ;  listen  carefully,"  I  cried,  as  she  again  showed 
signs  of  hysterics.  "  I  will  go  at  once  and  warn  her 
and  save  her.  They  must  not  know  I  have  been  here, 
and  I  can  get  out  through  the  garden,  as  I  have  before. 
Let  them  search  the  house,  and  keep  them  here  as  long 
as  you  can,  but  don't  breathe  a  word  that  I  have  been 
here,  or  of  Sarita.  You  can  hear  of  me  and  of  Sarita 
through  Mrs.  Curwen,  at  the  Hotel  de  1'Europe. 
Fasten  the  window  behind  me." 

While  speaking,  I  had  opened  the  window,  and,  mak- 
ing a  great  effort,  she  came  and  closed  it  and  drew  the 
curtains.  I  stood  a  moment  in  the  darkness,  my  ear 
pressed  to  the  pane,  and  heard  someone  enter  the 
room  and  ask  for  Sarita. 

"  We  are  the  police,"  said  a  strident,  high-pitched 
Toice,  "  and  call  upon  you  to  help  us.  She  is  here,  we 
know,  and  must  come  with  us.  Here  is  the  warrant." 


AT    THE    OPERA    HOUSE    215 

Whoever  he  was,  he  did  his  work  in  the  coarsest  and 
most  brutal  fashion  ;  and,  waiting  to  hear  no  more,  I 
slipped  away  noiselessly  into  the  darkness.  My  fear 
now  was  lest  the  place  should  be  surrounded  and  my 
own  escape  impeded. 

There  was  a  gate  at  the  bottom  opening  on  to  a  back 
road,  but  I  knew  of  a  spot  at  the  side  where,  with  the 
help  of  a  tree,  I  could  easily  scale  the  wall,  and  deemed 
it  prudent  to  avoid  the  gate.  I  climbed  cautiously, 
and,  looking  over,  saw  the  way  was  clear,  and  jumped 
down.  But  a  man  had  been  posted  to  watch  close  by, 
and,  catching  sight  of  me,  he  sent  up  a  cry  and  began 
to  run  in  my  direction.  My  knowledge  of  the  locality 
stood  me  in  good  stead,  however,  and,  running  at  top 
speed,  I  doubled  through  one  or  two  back  ways  and 
passages,  and  shook  off  pursuit  sufficiently  to  be  able 
to  walk  quietly  into  one  of  the  crowded  main  streets, 
where  it  would  have  been  hopeless  to  look  for  me  in 
the  throng. 

The  excitement  in  the  streets  was  even  greater  than 
before,  but  now  there  was  a  perceptible  change  of  tone. 
A  note  of  thanksgiving  and  rejoicing  was  mingled  with 
the  curses  and  groans  and  execrations ;  and  I  soon 
gathered  that  doubts  about  the  young  King  having 
been  even  hurt  had  begun  to  spread  among  the  people. 

My  way  took  me  near  the  Opera  House  in  the  Plaza 
del  Oriente,  and  then  there  flashed  into  my  recollection 
the  appointment  I  had  made  to  see  Mercy  and  Mrs. 
Curwen  in  their  box.  I  recalled  also  the  necessity  of 
informing  Mercy  of  the  news  of  poor  Lascelles'  death. 
When  I  should  have  another  chance  I  could  not  tell, 
and  thus  I  resolved  to  snatch  a  minute,  urgent  though 
my  errand  was,  and  go  to  them  in  the  box. 


216   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

I  pushed  my  way  through  the  crowd,  which  was  now 
alternately  cheering  with  deafening  enthusiasm,  and 
turning  to  shout  out  curses  and  oaths  against  the  Car- 
lists,  and,  entering  the  Opera  House,  asked  for  Box  9, 
the  number  Mrs.  Curwen  had  given  me.  They  would 
not  let  me  pass  for  a. moment,  however,  and  I  was  tak- 
ing out  my  card  to  send  to  Mrs.  Curwen,  when  the 
possible  danger  of  having  my  name  known  at  such  a 
time  struck  me,  and  I  scribbled,  "  Lord  Glisfoyle,"  on 
an  envelope  which  I  borrowed  at  the  bureau,  and  sent 
an  attendant  in  with  that.  He  returned  and  asked  me 
to  follow  him,  and  I  walked  through  the  magnificent 
corridors,  half  ashamed  of  what  looked  like  a  grim,  un- 
natural jest  at  such  a  moment,  and  thinking  how  best 
to  break  my  bad  news  to  Mercy.  Little  did  I  foresee, 
indeed,  what  a  friend  to  me  that  simple  precaution 
would  prove  ;  but,  then,  how  few  of  us  can  see  even 
an  inch  beyond  the  nose-tip  ! 

I  had  nearly  reached  the  box  when  a  roar  like 
thunder  burst  out  suddenly  in  the  great  building,  which 
seemed  almost  to  stagger  with  the  sudden  shock  and 
vibration  ;  and,  as  the  attendant  opened  the  box  door, 
the  huge  volume  came  rushing  out  with  a  deafening 
crash.  A  wild  passion  of  excitement,  uproar,  and 
tumult  possessed  the  vast  audience,  making  such  a 
scene  as  I  had  never  witnessed. 

Men  and  women  alike  were  beside  themselves  in  the 
rush  and  delirium  of  positively  frantic  enthusiasm  : 
standing  on  the  seats,  and  even  rushing  over  them, 
leaning  on  one  another,  pushing,  straining,  climbing 
one  on  top  of  another's  shoulders  to  gain  a  place  from 
which  they  could  catch  a  sight  of  one  central  spot. 
Even  the  stage  was  filled  with  a  heterogeneous  crowd 


AT   THE    OPERA    HOUSE    217 

of  actors  and  actresses  in  costume,  men  and  women  in 
evening  dress,  and  scene  shifters  and  employees  of  all 
kinds.  And  the  whole  congested  mass  of  people  were 
yelling  and  shouting  and  cheering  as  though  they 
would  burst  their  lungs,  as  they  waved  anything  they 
could  lay  hands  on — hats,  caps,  handkerchiefs,  shawls, 
opera  cloaks,  and  on  the  stage  flags,  anything  and 
everything  that  would  help  them  to  vent  their  over- 
whelming enthusiasm. 

The  centre  of  it  all  was  the  slight,  slim,  graceful, 
figure  of  the  boy  King,  standing  in  front  of  the  Royal 
box,  bowing  and  smiling  his  acknowledgments  ;  while 
just  behind  him,  like  the  guardian  angel  of  his  life,  was 
the  beautiful  Queen  Mother,  with  a  light  of  love,  pride, 
and  pleasure  on  her  strong,  clever  face,  as  she  gazed 
through  eyes  bright  and  shining  with  rare  tears  at  this 
marvellous  demonstration  of  a  people's  thanksgiving 
for  her  and  their  darling's  safety. 

Minutes  passed,  and  the  tumult  gave  no  sign  of  abate- 
ment. If  the  great  hoarse  volume  of  shouting  seemed 
for  a  second  to  be  dying  down,  it  was  quickly  noticed, 
and  huge  waves  of  swelling  sound  arose  again,  until  it 
appeared  as  if  the  very  roof  would  be  rent  by  the  strain. 
Suddenly  a  voice  started  the  national  air,  and  in  a  mo- 
ment the  leader  of  the  orchestra  seized  the  occasion, 
the  band  took  it  up,  and  the  whole  audience,  led  by  the 
singers  on  the  stage,  sang  it  with  such  a  chorus  as  had 
never  before  been  heard  in  Madrid. 

Then  came  an  unrehearsed  and  most  dramatic  scene. 
There  was  a  movement  on  the  stage  as  the  singing  drew 
to  a  close,  and  the  Archbishop  of  Madrid  came  to  the 
front  and  stood  with  uplifted  hand  for  silence. 

An  intense  hush,  seeming  almost  weird  after  the 


218   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

raging  tumult,  fell  upon  the  place,  and  then  his  power- 
ful voice  was  heard  in  half  a  dozen  impressive  sen- 
tences of  thanksgiving  for  the  King's  deliverance  ;  and 
as  he  finished  amid  sounds  of  sobbing  from  men  and 
women,  for  all  were  now  so  wrought  upon  that  emotion 
reigned  supreme  alike  over  strong  men  and  weak 
women,  a  mighty  Amen  came  from  every  corner  of  the 
house,  with  another  moment  of  weird  silence  as  the 
great  priest  stood  with  bowed  head  and  hand-covered 
eyes  in  prayer. 

Before  the  audience  could  gather  strength  for  fresh 
shouting  he  stepped  back,  the  curtain  came  down  on 
the  stage,  the  band  struck  up  some  of  the  music  of  the 
night's  opera,  and  the  great  scene — a  scene  to  be  re- 
membered to  one's  dying  day — was  over  ;  and  the  pant- 
ing, exhausted,  half-hysterical  audience  struggled  back 
into  some  semblance  of  order. 

I  had  been  as  much  carried  away  as  anyone — the 
fever  of  contagion  was  in  truth  resistless — and  I  had 
forgotten  everything  in  the  excitement,  even  the  time 
I  was  losing,  so  vital  for  the  rescue  of  Sarita  ;  and  my 
companions  in  the  box  were  equally  oblivious.  But  at 
the  close  of  it  they  turned  to  me. 

"  Why,  they  said  it  was  Lascelles,"  said  Mercy,  who 
like  Mrs.  Curwen  was  sitting  back  exhausted  with  the 
excitement,  for  they  had  been  shouting  and  waving  as 
frantically  as  the  rest. 

"  I  used  the  name  to  get  in/'  I  replied,  feebly : 
realising  how  incongruous  it  would  be  to  attempt  to 
break  my  news  to  Mercy  in  the  midst  of  such  a  scene. 
"  I  didn't  expect  to  get  here,  but  as  I  chanced  to  be 
near  the  place,  I  came  in  to  say  I  hope  to  be  at  supper 
.with  you  at  the  Hotel  de  1'Opera." 


"  You're  always  coming  to  say  you  can't  come,  but 
will  come  some  other  time,"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Curwen. 

"  I  am  sorry  if  I  seem  neglectful,"  was  my  apology, 

"  You  look  very  serious,  at  any  rate,  and  as  if  this 
mysterious  business  was  a  very  doleful  one." 

"  When  I  am  able  to  explain  it  all  to  you,  you  will 
say  I  am  not  serious  without  cause." 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders. 

"  I  have  no  right  to  any  explanation,  but  Mercy  has," 
she  answered. 

"  Don't  mind  me,  Nand,"  said  Mercy  quickly.  "  I 
know  it  must  be  serious." 

"I  have  some  news  for  you,  Mercy,  but  I  can't  tell 
you  now.  I  must  go."  I  was  standing  almost  in  the 
front  of  the  box,  between  the  two,  and  Mrs.  Curwen 
said — 

"  Did  you  ever  see  such  a  scene  ?  What  a  love  that 
boy  King  is  !  I  should  like  to  kiss  him." 

I  glanced  then  across  at  the  Royal  box,  and  to  my 
discomfiture  saw  that  his  little  Majesty  was  taking  my 
advice,  and,  with  an  opera  glass,  was  earnestly  search- 
ing the  audience.  As  I  looked  across,  the  glass  was 
full  upon  our  box.  He  started,  lowered  the  glass,  and 
looked  eagerly  at  me.  Then  he  turned  to  the  Queen 
impetuously,  said  something  to  her,  and  handed  her  the 
glass  ;  and  she  in  her  turn  looked  across  the  house  at 
me. 

He  had  recognised  me,  and  I  dare  not  stay  another 
minute,  for  fear  he  should  send  to  enquire  for  me.  I 
turned  to  Mayhew,  who  was  sitting  by  Mrs.  Curwen. 

"  I  want  to  speak  to  you,  Silas.  Come  with  me  ;  " 
and,  murmuring  an  excuse  to  the  widow,  we  went  out. 

"  Is  anything  wrong  ? "  he  asked  anxiously. 


220  SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

"  Yes,  there's  a  devil  of  a  mess,  and  I'm  in  it  up  to 
the  neck,  and  I  want  you  to  help  me.  I've  got  a  nasty 
job  for  you.  I've  had  a  telegram  from  London  just  now 
to  say  that  my  brother  is  dead.  He  was  thrown  from 
his  horse  this  afternoon.  Here's  the  wire." 

"  Then  that  name  you  sent  in "  he  began. 

"  I  didn't  use  it  because  of  that.  But  my  own  name 
has  got  mixed  up  with  this  infernal  Carlist  business, 
and  I  didn't  dare  send  it  in.  Ferdinand  Carbonnell 
may  be  proscribed  at  any  moment,  and  I've  scraped  my 
shoulder  already  once  this  evening  against  a  prison 
door.  What  I  want  you  to  do  is  to  break  this  news  of 
poor  Lascelles'  death  as  best  you  can  to  my  sister,  as 
soon  as  you  get  a  chance,  and  just  make  them  both 
understand  that  they're  to  know  nothing  of  any  Ferdi- 
nand Carbonnell.  If  I've  been  recognised  here,  as  I 
think  I  have,  and  anyone  comes  questioning,  just  say 
I'm  Lord  Glisfoyle,  and  if  they  press  for  any  address 
give  them  the  Hotel  de  1'Opera." 

"  I  don't  quite  understand.     Why " 

"That's  all  right  ;  I  can't  spare  another  second," and 
I  hurried  off,  leaving  him  staring  after  me  with  the 
telegram  in  his  hand,  the  very  picture  of  bewilderment. 

I  walked  quickly  along  the  corridor,  left  the  building, 
and  turned  at  a  quick  speed  in  the  direction  of  the 
Calle  de  Valencia,  in  search  of  Sarita.  And  when  I 
found  how  much  time  I  had  lost  through  my  visit  to 
the  Opera,  I  was  troubled  with  serious  misgivings. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

A    CARLIST    GATHERING 

THE  Calle  de  Valencia  was  a  sufficiently  important 
street  to  be  well  known,  and  I  had  no  difficulty 
in  finding  it.  It  had  a  prosperous  look  ;  the 
houses  were  for  the  most  part  of  a  good  size  ;  and  their 
condition  and  appearance  suggested  that  the  occupants 
were  of  the  well-to-do  class. 

Madame  Chansette  had  told  me  47  was  part  of  the 
number  of  the  house  I  sought,  and  one  of  the  first  I  saw 
being  147,  I  determined  to  try  that  first.  It  was  a 
doctor's  house — Dr.  Pascual  Vedia,  and  when  I  rang  the 
bell  a  maid-servant  opened  the  door,  and  showed  me 
into  a  consulting  room. 

My  nerves  had  been  so  wrought  upon  by  the  events  of 
the  day,  the  scene  at  the  Opera,  my  fears  for  Sarita, 
and  now  by  the  extraordinary  nature  of  my  present 
mission,  that  this  commonplace  conventional  reception 
seemed  quite  a  ridiculous  anti-climax.  Despite  all 
my  anxiety  I  caught  myself  smiling  when  I  was  left 
alone. 

"  What  an  ass  I  am,"  I  exclaimed  ;  "  as  if  I  was  to 
expect  the  long  black  conspirators'  cloaks,  the  sharp 
daggers,  slouched  hats  of  picture  books  !  This  may 
very  well  be  the  place  after  all."  My  meditations  were 
broken  by  the  entrance  of  the  doctor,  a  man  of  some 


222    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

forty  years  of  age,  with  the  most  approved  medical 
manner.  A  comfortable-looking  person  in  complete 
keeping  with  his  conventional  surroundings,  who  smiled 
encouragingly  while  he  looked  me  over  with  a  profes- 
sional eye.  If  he  was  a  dangerous  Carlist,  danger  and 
Carlism  certainly  appeared  to  agree  with  him. 

"  You  wish  to  consult  me,  senor  ?  My  servant  did 
not  bring  me  your  name."  His  manner  was  easy  and 
insinuating. 

"  I  have  not  called  to  consult  you,  but  wish  to  see  the 
Senorita  Castelar,  who  is,  I  believe,  here.  I  have  grave 
and  urgent  news  for  her." 

"  I  am  afraid  there  is  some  mistake.  My  name  is 
Pascual  Vedia.  I  am  a  physician."  It  struck  me  he 
said  this  to  look  at  me  and  gain  time  to  think.  There 
was  just  a  second  of  hesitation  ;  and  then  he  added  : 
"  May  I  ask  your  name  ? " 

"  My  name  is  of  no  importance  if  the  senorita  is  not 
here.  But  the  news  I  bring  is  of  the  utmost  gravity — 
to  her  and  others,"  and  I  emphasised  the  words  with  a 
glance  of  meaning.  This  time  the  pause  before  he 
replied  was  longer;  then  he  answered — 

"  My  wife  has  a  few  friends  this  evening,  but  the 
senorita  is  not  here." 

"  You  know  her  ?"  I  asked  quickly. 

"  Really,  as  I  have  not  the  pleasure  of  knowing  your 

name "  and  he  left  the  sentence  unfinished,  with  an 

uplifting  of  the  hands.  He  was  fencing  with  me,  that 
was  unmistakable.  And,  more  than  that,  he  was  suspi- 
cious. When  I  saw  that,  the  means  of  at  once  testing 
and  reassurring  him  occurred  to  me.  I  looked  him 
straight  in  the  eyes,  and  very  deliberately  repeated  the 
formula  I  had  learned  from  Vidal  de  Pelayo. 


A  CARLIST  GATHERING  223 

"  Counting  all  renegades  lovers  of  Satan,  by  the  grace 
of  God." 

"  By  the  grace  of  God,"  he  repeated  instantly  with 
deep  earnestness,  and  gave  me  his  hand.  His  manner 
underwent  a  remarkable  change  ;  his  easy,  matter-of- 
fact,  medical  practitioner  air  dropped  like  a  mask,  and 
his  looks,  eyes,  and  voice  were  charged  with  enthusiasm. 

"  I  could  not  know,  of  course,"  he  said,  in  explanation. 
"The  senorita  is  here,  but  on  the  point  of  leaving. 
Will  you  come  to  her  with  me  ?  Or  shall  I  bring  her 
here  ?  You  are  from  Saragossa — or,  better,  from 
Huesca?  And  all  is  well,  I  hope.  We  have  been 
waiting  for  this." 

His  reply  showed  me  there  would  be  no  danger  of 
identification  if  I  went  with  him,  since  it  was  clear  that 
none  of  the  men  whom  I  had  outwitted  that  afternoon 
had  yet  returned  with  the  news.  I  was  doubtful, 
moreover,  whether  Sarita  would  come  to  me  without 
hearing  my  name,  while  if  I  sent  it  to  her  she  might 
raise  delay  or  difficulty. 

I  decided  to  go  with  him  therefore,  and  he  led  me  to 
a  drawing-room  at  the  back  of  the  house  where  there 
were  some  dozen  people.  The  eyes  of  all  were  turned 
upon  us  as  the  door  opened,  and  the  doctor,  having 
misinterpreted  my  silence,  exclaimed  joyously — 

"  News  at  last  from  Saragossa  !  " 

The  words  were  not  off  his  tongue  before  Sarita, 
who  was  sitting  close  to  the  door,  jumped  to  her  feet, 
looked  at  me  in  the  deepest  consternation,  and,  turning 
pale  to  the  lips  in  the  greatness  of  her  surprise,  faced 
me  with  a  look  of  such  unmistakable  fear  and  dismay 
that  it  brought  gathering  clouds  of  suspicion  to  the 
faces  of  many  of  those  present. 


224  SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

"  You  here  ! "  she  said  at  length,  in  a  tone  that  was 
scarcely  more  than  a  whisper. 

I  paused  for  one  supreme  moment  of  doubt,  while  I 
glanced  at  the  faces  bent  anxiously  and  now  sternly 
upon  me,  and  then  answered  in  a  firm  voice — 

"  Where  should  Ferdinand  Carbonnell  be  at  the 
crisis  of  peril  such  as  this,  if  not  here  ?  "  and  I  looked 
at  her  as  though  daring  her  to  betray  the  secret  of  the 
double  meaning  of  my  words. 

The  impression  created  by  the  announcement  of  my 
name  was  unmistakable.  A  murmur  of  astonishment 
passed  from  lip  to  lip,  while  glances  were  travelling 
backwards  and  forwards  from  me  to  Sarita,  who  stood 
battling  with  her  agitation. 

I  could  understand  her  trouble  well  enough.  She 
had  either  to  denounce  me  as  an  impostor  and  a  traitor 
to  the  cause,  and  with  probable  consequences  to  me 
from  which  would  shrink  with  fear ;  or  she  had  to 
cover  and  confirm  the  fraud  and  vouch  for  my  truth  to 
her  companions.  To  distract  attention  from  her  while 
she  made  her  decision,  I  went  on  after  a  short  pause, 
speaking  deliberately  and  incisively,  wishing  to  create 
the  deepest  impression  possible — 

"Only  such  an  emergency  as  this  could  have  induced 
me  to  throw  aside  my  incognito  and  come  to  you 
openly.  I  bring  you  the  worst  possible  news.  Every- 
thing has  failed  ;  and  the  cause  never  stood  in  higher 
peril  than  at  this  present  moment,  when  the  success  we 
have  striven,  worked,  and  fought  for  seemed  actually 
in  our  grasp — seemed  ? — nay,  was  actually  in  our  grasp. 
The  great  event  of  to-day,  so  cunningly  planned,  so 
patiently  waited  for,  was  successful.  The  young 
Pretender  was  captured  by  our  comrades,  and  was 


A  CARLIST  GATHERING  225 

actually  in  their  hands ;  I  myself  was  present — as  I 
strive  to  be  everywhere  in  the  moment  of  crisis — 
and  saw  it  done.  They  carried  him  away,  and  all 
seemed  to  have  gone  gloriously,  when  just  before  the 
village  of  Podrida  was  reached,  by  means  which  have 
yet  to  be  discovered,  the  whole  scheme  was  wrecked  ; 
our  comrades  were  struck  down,  overborne  probably, 
after  fighting  valiantly,  by  a  vastly  superior  force." 
(I  reckoned  that  this  was  the  account  of  the  rescue  the 
men  would  be  likely  to  bring  back.)  "  The  young 
Pretender  was  snatched  from  them  and  brought  back 
to  the  capital.  I  returned  when  I  knew  of  it,  and  I 
come  now  hot  foot  from  the  Opera,  where  he  has  just 
made  a  public  appearance,  amid  the  cheers  of  those 
sycophants  among  the  people  who  persist  in  upholding 
his  wrongful  claim  to  Our  Master's  throne." 

I  did  not  look  once  at  Sarita  while  delivering  this  ha- 
rangue, and  by  the  time  I  had  reached  that  point  the 
news  I  brought  had  not  only  convinced  everyone  of  my 
sincerity,  but  had  set  them  quaking  on  the  score  of 
their  own  safety. 

"  You  saw  this  with  your  own  eyes  ? "  exclaimed  the 
doctor,  excitedly.  "  Holy  Mother  of  God,  what  will  it 
mean  ?  " 

"  I  saw  it,  and  much  more.  I  was  this  evening 
closeted  in  the  house  of  the  master  fiend  to  whose 
devilment  the  wrecking  of  everything  may  well  be  due — 
the  Minister,  Sebastian  Quesada.  I  heard  there  the 
order  given  for  my  own  arrest.  I  saw  the  warrant  for 
the  arrest  of  Senorita  Castelar,  and  heard  the  order  for 
its  instant  execution  given  to  his  police  spy,  Rubio, 
and  I  know  that  lists  upon  lists  of  our  friends'  and 
comrades'  names  have  been  handed  to  the  police  with 


226  SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

orders  for  their  immediate  arrest.  While  you  have 
been  sitting  here  in  your  snug  council  of  plan-making 
and  scheming" — I  threw  a  good  slice  of  contempt  into 
the  reference,  for  it  is  rarely  ill  to  be  a  little  con- 
temptuous towards  those  whom  you  are  seeking  to 
impress  and  convince — "  the  streets  without  are  re- 
sounding under  the  tread  of  armed  men,  broken  by  the 
wailing  cries  of  hundreds  of  our  brave  friends,  men  and 
women  martyrs  alike,  who  are  being  hustled  to  gaol 
amid  the  curses  and  howls  of  the  passion-ridden  mob. 
Quesada's  avowed  policy  is  now  to  use  this  failed 
attempt  of  ours  to  stamp  our  cause  under  his  feet,  and 
to  crush  it  so  utterly  that  no  vestige  of  strength  re- 
mains. His  plans  have  been  maturing  for  weeks  " — here 
again  I  glanced  at  Sarita — "  and  he  has  been  deliber- 
ately working  towards  this  end.  For  this  he  pretended 
to  give  us  aid — the  aid  of  a  traitor — that  by  it  he  might 
find  the  means  to  further  his  own  end.  And  that  end 
was  the  doubly  cunning  one,  to  use  us  Carlists  to 
overthrow  the  Monarchy,  and  then  seize  on  our  act  as 
the  pretext  for  crushing  us  into  impotence." 

The  men  present  broke  into  bitter  imprecations  of 
Quesada,  and  for  a  time  much  confusion  prevailed,  as 
the  party  discussed  the  momentous  news.  I  turned 
then  to  Sarita,  by  whose  side  the  doctor  was  standing. 

"  What  do  you  advise,  senor  ? "  he  asked  me  anx- 
iously. 

"  There  is  but  one  course,  so  far  as  we  in  Madrid  are 
concerned.  We  cannot  hope  to  resist.  The  present 
plans  have  failed  hopelessly,  and  the  one  chance  is  to 
do  what  has  had  to  be  done  before — bow  to  the  tem- 
pest, and  wait  until  it  has  passed.  By  this  time  hun- 
dreds of  Carlists  are  crowding  the  gaols  to  overflowing, 


227 

and  to-morrow  every  known  or  suspected  Carlist  in 
the  capital  will  be  under  lock  and  key,  guarded  by  Que- 
sada's  agents.  The  one  hope  of  safety  for  those  who 
cannot  clear  themselves  is  in  flight.  Meanwhile  every 
compromising  document  and  paper  should  be  destroyed 
or  burned." 

The  panic  was  complete,  and  already  most  of  those 
present  were  preparing  to  leave. 

"  Why  did  you  venture  here  ? "  asked  Sarita,  as  the 
doctor  was  called  away.  "  What  right  had  you  to  come 
and  act  this  part  and  force  me  to  play  the  traitor  by 
keeping  silence  ? " 

"  I  came  to  save  you  ;  and  my  coming  will  have  been 
in  vain  if  you  do  not  instantly  leave  the  house  with 
me.  Every  word  I  said  of  these  doings  is  true,  and  it 
is  true  also  that  Quesada  has  denounced  me  as  Ferdi- 
nand Carponnell,  the  Carlist  leader,  and  ordered  my 
arrest  in  that  character.  I  think  I  can  save  you  yet, 
if  you  will  fly  at  once." 

"  I  will  not  go  with  you.     I  am  not  a  coward." 

"  Then  we  will  stay  together  and  wait  for  the  police 
to  come  to  us." 

"  You  must  not  stay.  You  shall  not,"  she  cried, 
quickly, 

"  I  shall  not  leave  you  again." 

"  But  you  have  no  right  here.  You  are  not  of  us, 
and  have  no  right  to  share  our  dangers.  You  shall  not 
stay.  I  will  tell  them  here  that  you  are  not  one  of  us." 

"  They  are  too  intent  on  saving  themselves  to  bother 
about  the  nice  little  chain  of  circumstances  which  has 
linked  my  name  to  the  cause.  But  as  you  will.  I  came 
to  save  you,  and  if  I  can't  do  that  I  don't  care  what 
happens.  I  left  Madame  Chansette  overwhelmed  with 


228  SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

distress,  and  I  only  escaped  from  the  house  as  the 
police  agents  entered  it  in  search  of  you.  I  heard 
Quesada  himself  give  the  order  for  your  immediate  ar- 
rest. You  must  come.  Quesada  has  only  duped  you 
as  he  has  duped  hundreds  before  you.  And,  mark 
you,  when  he  gave  that  order,  and  when  he  was  busy 
packing  the  gaols  with  Carlists,  he  believed  that  the 
King  had  actually  been  abducted.  I  know  that ;  for  I 
had  it  from  his  own  lips.  Surely  you  see  his  double 
cunning  now." 

"  How  do  you  know  all  you  have  told  us?" 

"  I  cannot  tell  you  now  ;  but  I  know  it,  and  more.  I 
believe,  too,  that  I  can  bring  this  home  to  him.  Many 
strange  things  have  happened  since  I  saw  you  yester- 
day, and  with  your  help  I  can  drag  him  down  and  can 
expose  his  treachery  to  the  King  as  well  as  to  you  all. 
If  you  will  not  save  yourself  because  I  ask  you,  will 
you  do  it  to  help  in  punishing  him  ?" 

"  I  am  not  a  coward  to  fly,"  she  answered ;  but  I 
could  see  that  I  had  touched  her.  "  I  will  denounce 
him." 

"  From  where  ?  From  the  inside  of  one  of  his  pri- 
sons ?  As  what  ?  As  a  well-known  leader  of  the  Car- 
lists  ?  Think,  Sarita,  and  for  God's  sake  think  quickly, 
for  every  minute  may  make  your  peril  greater  ;  and  not 
yours  only,  but  mine  as  well.  What  heed  would  be 
paid  to  anything  a  Carlist  might  say  against  him  at 
such  a  moment  ?  " 

"  I  will  come,"  she  cried  then,  impetuously ;  and  in  a 
minute  we  had  explained  our  intention  to  those  who 
still  remained,  and  left  the  house. 

"  Where  are  you  going  ? "  asked  Sarita,  when  we 
reached  the  street. 


A  CARLIST  GATHERING   229 

"  For  to-night  to  the  Hotel  de  1'Opera,  where  my 
sister  is."  I  explained  the  position  there,  and  then  the 
change  my  brother's  death  had  caused,  and  that  I  was 
no  longer  to  be  known  as  Ferdinand  Carbonnell,  but  as 
Lord  Glisfoyle  ;  that  the  next  day  our  whole  party 
would  leave  Madrid,  and  that  she  and  Madame  Chan- 
sette  would  leave  with  us,  "  You  can  stay  if  you  please 
in  Paris,  or  anywhere  out  of  Spain,  and  for  the  purpose 
of  the  escape  we  must  decide  in  what  character  you 
will  travel.  That's  as  far  as  I've  got  with  our  plans, 
but  no  one  will  look  for  you  in  Mrs.  Curwen's  rooms  at 
the  hotel." 

"  I  will  not  promise  to  leave  Madrid,"  she  said, 
firmly. 

"  Just  as  you  please.  No  doubt  Quesada  can  find  a 
cell  for  each  of  us  if  we  remain,"  I  returned,  pointedly. 
"  If  you  stay,  I  stay,  Sarita :  on  that  I  take  my  oath." 

Without  waiting  for  a  reply,  I  told  her  rapidly  so 
much  of  what  had  occurred  since  I  had  seen  her  as  I 
deemed  necessary  :  the  quarrel  with  Livenza,  the  inter- 
view with  Quesada,  my  discovery  of  his  connivance  in 
the  Carlist  plot,  and  that  I  had  faced  him  with  it,  and 
then  the  scene  at  Quesada's  house  that  evening  ;  and  I 
was  at  great  pains  to  make  it  as  clear  as  I  could  that 
all  the  Minister's  plans  were  laid  well  in  advance  to 
deal  this  overwhelming  blow  at  the  Carlists,  when  the 
King  had  once  been  put  away. 

Told  as  the  story  was  now,  with  all  the  evidence  of 
police  activity  in  full  sight,  and  broken  by  more  than 
one  pause,  as  we  had  to  stand  aside  to  avoid  the  rush 
of  the  howling  mob  as  some  party  of  prisoners  was 
dragged  past  us,  it  carried  conviction. 

"  This  is  no  chance  work  of  an  hour,  Sarita.     The 


230  SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

plans  have  been  ready  and  the  preparations  made  for 
days  past,  merely  waiting  the  signal.  The  very  war- 
rants under  which  these  men  and  women  here  are  being 
imprisoned  have  been  lying  ready  signed  in  the  pigeon- 
holes of  Quesada's  office,  and  the  lists  have  been  made 
out  with  scrupulous  deliberation  and  method.  This 
was  the  reception  he  had  in  readiness  for  the  friends 
by  whose  deed  he  meant  to  climb.  Success  or  failure 
was  all  one  to  him.  If  the  plot  had  succeeded,  he 
would  have  crushed  you  Carlists,  to  leave  no  one  in  his 
path  ;  it  has  failed,  and  he  can  still  use  it  to  consolidate 
his  power  and  strengthen  his  influence  as  a  jealous 
Minister  of  the  King.  His  treachery  is  the  only  true 
thing  in  him." 

As  we  drew  nearer  the  heart  of  the  city,  the  throng 
in  the  streets  increased,  and  the  noise  and  din  of  the 
clamour  were  incessant.  Something  of  the  infection  of 
the  wonderful  enthusiasm  I  had  witnessed  in  the  Opera 
had  spread  to  the  streets.  It  was  known  that  the 
young  King  was  unhurt,  and  had  appeared  there  ;  and 
the  vast  crowds  were  giving  tongue  to  their  feelings  in 
every  key  of  frantic  enthusiasm,  vented  now  in  royster- 
ing,  rollicking  shouts  of  loyalty,  and  again  in  fierce, 
wild  curses  upon  the  Carlists  and  all  traitors.  A  scene 
to  try  the  strongest  nerves  ;  and  I  was  not  surprised 
that  even  Sarita's  courage  began  to  fail,  and  she  clung 
to  my  arm  in  apprehension. 

There  was  cause  indeed,  for  the  mob  was  growing 
dangerous,  and  more  than  one  ugly  incident  occurred 
close  by  us.  The  mere  cry  of  "Carlist!"  raised 
against  either  man  or  woman,  was  enough  to  bring 
the  mob  howling  round  like  wolves  scenting  prey. 
And,  as  in  all  mobs,  there  were  not  wanting  those  who 


231 

from  motives  of  robbery  or  personal  spite  were  ready 
to  raise  the  cry,  and  so  set  light  to  the  dangerous  fires 
of  violence. 

Thus  on  one  occasion  we  were  standing  back  from 
the  on-pressing  crowd  as  a  couple  of  prisoners  were 
being  taken  by,  when  the  cry  of  "  Carlist  spies  !"  was 
raised  against  a  man  and  woman.  It  was  started  in 
the  shrill  tone  of  an  old  tatterdemalion  hag  who  had 
begged  an  alms  and  had  been  refused.  In  an  instant 
the  two  found  themselves  surrounded  by  a  cursing, 
shouting,  shrieking  throng,  their  angry  faces  thrust 
forward  in  fierce  denunciation,  threateningly  close  to 
the  pallid,  fear-set  features  of  the  couple,  and  a  hun- 
dred outstretched  hands  were  quivering  with  the 
menace  of  violence.  Someone  gave  the  man  a  push 
from  behind,  and  in  a  trice  the  two  were  separated, 
the  man  pulled,  thrust,  hustled,  and  whirled  away  like 
a  leaf  on  the  tempest  of  passionate  ruthlessness,  amid 
a  war  of  oaths  and  curses  ;  while  by  a  chance  the 
woman,  forgotten  in  the  instant  of  violence,  drifted  to 
us,  and  we  let  her  creep  in  behind  us  and  hide  till  the 
storm  had  passed. 

A  cry  of  "  Carlist  !  "  from  below  us  soon  carried  the 
mob  in  search  of  the  fresh  victims,  and  we  stood  a 
minute,  Sarita  whispering  to  the  woman  to  gather 
courage,  as  the  danger  was  passed.  And  while  we 
waited,  the  man  who  had  been  with  her  came  back, 
helped  by  some  friend  who  had  found  him  battered, 
bruised,  bleeding  from  a  dozen  hurts,  and  with  the 
remnants  of  his  clothing  hanging  on  him  in  rags. 

Sarita  would  have  stayed  to  help  the  unfortunate 
pair,  but  the  danger  of  the  streets  was  too  great,  and  I 
led  her  away. 


232   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

The  scene  was  repeated  more  than  once,  with  varia- 
tions mainly  in  the  degree  of  violence  used  by  the  mob. 
More  than  once,  too,  we  only  just  escaped  finding  our- 
selves in  the  midst  of  one  of  the  innumerable  street 
fights  that  occurred,  where  some  man  against  whom 
the  cry  had  been  raised  had  friends,  and,  rallying  them, 
shouted  a  counter  charge  against  his  accusers,  and 
followed  it  up  with  an  attack,  in  which  knives  were 
drawn  freely  on  both  sides  and  blood  spilt. 

Never  was  I  more  thankful  in  my  life  than  when  at 
length  we  reached  the  doors  of  the  hotel,  to  which  at 
last  I  had  literally  to  force  and  fight  my  way  through 
the  mob  still  surging  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Opera 
House,  and  swarming  all  over  the  plaza  where  the  hotel 
stood. 

No  sooner  were  we  safe,  however,  and  I  stood  a 
moment  in  the  spacious  hall  of  the  hotel  to  recover  my 
breath,  than  a  fresh  difficulty  of  a  quite  different  char- 
acter occurred  to  me.  How  should  I  explain  matters 
in  regard  to  Sarita  to  Mrs.  Curwen  and  Mercy  ?  I  had 
scarcely  mentioned  her  name  to  either  of  them  ;  they 
knew  nothing,  of  course,  of  the  weird  undercurrent  of 
events  ;  and  yet  here  was  I  turning  up  with  her  at 
eleven  o'clock  at  night,  in  defiance  of  all  the  conven- 
tionalities, and  as  the  climax  of  a  series  of  acts  which 
must  have  appeared  to  them  as  the  very  type  of  eccen- 
tricity. 

Besides,  there  was  Mrs.  Curwen's  own  undercurrent 
motive  for  her  presence  in  Madrid. 


CHAPTER  XX 

AT    THE  HOTEL   DE    L'OPERA 

IT  is,  of  course,  a  very  simple  thing  to  laugh  at  the 
conventions,  and  to  declare  that  it  would  be  pre- 
posterous to  give  the  least  thought  to  them  in  the 
face  of  the  really  serious  pass  to  which  matters  had 
come.  I  was  trying  to  do  that  all  the  way  to  Mrs. 
Curwen's  room  as  we  followed  the  waiter,  to  whom  I 
had  given  my  name  as  Lord  Glisfoyle. 

But,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  I  felt  more  nervous  and 
uncomfortable  at  having  to  subject  Sarita  to  the  sharp 
inquisitive  fire  of  the  widow's  eyes,  than  if  I  had  been 
going  to  face  a  roomful  of  armed  men.  My  companion 
saw  my  embarrassment. 

"  You  are  anxious  how  your  sister  will  receive  me  ? " 
she  whispered  with  a  quick  discernment. 

"  My  sister,  Mercy,  is  one  of  the  best,  staunchest 
little  souls  in  the  world." 

"  Ah,  then  it  is  this  friend  of  hers  ? " 

"  It  will  be  all  right,"  I  answered  evasively  ;  and  as 
the  waiter  threw  the  door  open  and  announced  me  at 
that  moment,  there  was  no  time  to  say  any  more.  Our 
entrance  could  scarcely  have  been  at  a  more  inoppor- 
tune moment.  My  sister  had  taken  the  news  of  Las- 
celles'  death  very  badly,  and  was  lying  on  a  sofa  over- 
come by  grief.  Mrs.  Curwen  was  kneeling  by  her  with 


234   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

scent  and  smelling  salts,  and  Mayhew  was  standing 
near  in  the  helpless  attitude  usual  with  men  under  such 
circumstances. 

Mrs.  Curwen  did  not  get  up  or  look  round  for  a 
moment,  but  an  exclamation  from  Mayhew,  who 
recognised  Sarita  and  bowed  to  her,  and  then  stared  at 
her  with  an  expression  of  bewilderment,  drew  the 
widow's  attention. 

"  Mercy  is," — she  began  in  a  tone  of  warning  but 
glancing  round,  then  seeing  I  was  not  alone,  and  that 
my  companion  was  an  exceedingly  lovely  girl,  she 
stopped,  jumped  up  and  looked  at  Sarita  with  eyes  and 
face  that  appeared  to  harden  rapidly  from  surprised 
confusion  to  indignant  anger.  She  seemed  instinctively 
to  divine  enough  of  the  case  between  Sarita  and  myself 
to  make  her  exceedingly  uneasy  and  angry  ;  and  she 
was  never  in  the  habit  of  concealing  her  feelings. 

"  I  have  brought  my  cousin,  Senorita  Castelar,  who 
is  at  this  moment  in  deep  trouble,  Mrs.  Curwen,  to  ask 
you  and  Mercy  to  help  her."  I  must  admit  Sarita  did 
not  wear  the  appearance  of  trouble  to  bear  out  my 
words.  She  met  Mrs.  Curwen's  most  sarcastic  look 
with  one  of  almost  queenly  hostility,  held  her  head 
high  and  had  a  light  in  her  flashing  eyes  which  augured 
ill  for  peace. 

"Any  friend  of  yours  is  welcome,  of  course," — oh, 
the  sting  of  that  "  of  course,"  and  the  wicked  bow  that 
accompanied  it — "  but  the  hour  is  very  late  and  unfor- 
tunately Mercy  is  prostrated  with  grief  at  the  terrible 
news  which  you  left  to  Mr.  Mayhew  to  tell  us.  Will 
you  be  seated,  senorita?  "  .  Mayhew  glanced  across  at 
me,  shrugged  his  shoulders  very  slightly,  and  then  like 
a  good  fellow  plunged  in  to  the  rescue, 


HOTEL    DE    L'OPERA    235 

"  Thank  God,  you  are  safe,  senorita,"  he  said,  coming 
forward.  "You  must  have  had  an  awful  experience  in 
the  streets  to-night.  They  are  almost  impassable  for 
the  frantic  excitement  of  the  mob.  You  will  not  have 
forgotten  me,  I  hope.  I  have  had  the  pleasure  of  meet- 
ing you  more  than  once  ;  the  last  time  I  think  was  at 
the  French  Embassy  ball.  No  ?  Well,  it  must  have 
been  at  some  other,  for  I  know  that  we  danced  together. 
My  name  is  Mayhew.  I'm  at  the  British  Embassy, 
you  know — at  least  you  would  know  if  my  good  friend 
Ferd — Lord  Glisfoyle,  I  mean,  hadn't  got  his  head  too 
high  in  the  clouds  just  now  to  tell  you  who  I  am." 

His  glib  chatter  was  a  wonderful  relief  and  broke  the 
exceedingly  awkward  strain  at  the  moment  when  every- 
thing seemed  to  spell  crisis  ;  and  he  bustled  about  and 
went  on  chattering  in  an  unconcerned  and  irrepressible 
manner,  for  all  the  world  as  though  there  was  no  elec- 
tricity in  the  air,  and  the  visit  at  such  an  hour  and 
under  such  circumstances  was  just  the  most  usual 
thing  in  the  world. 

Under  cover  of  this  fusillade  of  small  talk  I  crossed 
to  Mercy's  side  and  bent  over  and  kissed  her. 

"  Mercy,  dear,  I  am  in  sore  trouble  and  perplexity. 
If  you  can  make  an  effort  and  rally  now  and  help  me, 
you  will  do  me  the  greatest  favour  in  the  world.  Both 
Sarita  Castelar — who  is  your  cousin — and  I  are  in 
imminent  danger  of  being  arrested  and  sent  to  gaol, 
and  I  want  your  woman's  wit,  and  that  of  our  good 
friend  here — to  get  us  out  of  it.  Mrs.  Curwen,  you 
have  often  declared  your  friendship  for  me,  will  you 
show  it  now  in  this  ?" 

I  knew  my  sister  well  enough  to  be  sure  that  such  an 
appeal  would  be  the  finest  tonic  in  the  world,  and  that 


236    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

it  would  stir  up  every  scrap  of  pluck  in  her  to  'face 
the  emergency.  And  I  was  right.  She  pulled  herself 
together,  and  kissing  me,  sat  up. 

"  This  awful  news  about  Lascelles "  she  began. 

"  You  must  put  the  thought  of  it  away  for  the  present, 
Mercy,  and  face  the  clanger  here,"  I  interposed, 
earnestly.  "  There  is  no  time  for  the  indulgence  of 
grief." 

Mrs  Curwen  had  stood  in  silence  during  the  short 
by-scene  with  Mercy,  and  the  catchy  breathing,  slightly 
paled  cheek,  firmly  pressed  lip,  and  quick  glances 
flashed  from  me  to  Sarita,  told  me  she  was  moved.  She 
bent  forward  as  Mercy  sat  up  in  answer  to  my  appeal, 
laid  a  hand  on  my  arm  and  looked  into  my  face  with 
more  earnestness  and  feeling  than  I  had  ever  known 
her  display,  as  she  asked — 

"  What  is  this  girl  to  you,  Ferdinand  ? "  and  her  eyes 
searched  mine  keenly  for  the  truth. 

"As  I  live,  she  is  more  to  me  than  life  itself,"  I 
answered  in  a  low  whisper  that  trembled  with  suppressed 
passion. 

At  the  reply,  she  drew  her  hand  hastily  from  my 
arm,  closed  her  eyes,  bit  her  lip  as  she  drew  one  deep 
breath,  and  clenched  her  hands  in  a  moment  of  intense 
agitation.  But  in  the  moment  she  had  herself  in  hand 
again,  a  smile  broke  the  set  pallor  of  her  face,  she  gave 
me  her  hand. 

"  Then,  of  course,  we'll  do  all  we  can.  What  queer, 
clumsy  creatures  you  men  are  sometimes.  Why  on 
earth  didn't  you  tell  us  before  ?  "  and  like  the  plucky 
little  soul  she  was,  the  smile  quickened  into  a  rallying 
laugh. 

I  had  no  words  ready  for  a  reply.     I  was  too  much 


HOTEL    DE   L'OPERA    237 

mov,pd  ;  and  I  held  out  my  hand  in  silence  and  pressed 
hers.  Mercy  had  been  scarcely  less  moved  by  my  news, 
and  getting  up  now,  put  her  arms  round  her  friend's 
waist  and  kissed  her. 

"What  a  fuss  you  two  make  about  a  trifle,"  said  the 
widow,  shrugging  her  shoulders.  "  Come,  Mercy,  we 
must  do  something,  instead  of  chattering  here  ;  and  let 
poor  Mr.  Mayhew  off  duty.  I  hope  he  isn't  as  awfully 
uncomfortable  as  he  looks  ; "  and  she  and  Mercy 
crossed  to  Sarita. 

"  Lord  Glisfoyle  wants  you  a  minute,  Mr.  Mayhew," 
she  said,  and  then  earnestly  to  Sarita,  "  My  dear,  let  me 
call  you  that,  I  want  to  apologise  to  you,  but  I  didn't 
know.  Will  you  forgive  me?  Lord  Glisfoyle  is  a  very 
dear  friend  of  mine — and  you  must  be  too." 

"  I  didn't  know  that  I  had  a  cousin  in  Madrid," 
chimed  in  Mercy,  kissing  Sarita.  "  And  you  in  such 
trouble  too."  And  at  that  point  MayheAV  and  I  went 
out  of  the  room  on  his  suggestion,  that  if  we  left  the 
three  together  while  we  smoked  a  cigarette,  we  should 
find  them  thick  friends  by  the  time  we  returned. 

"  This  is  a  ticklish  touch-and-go  thing,  Ferdinand," 
he  said,  as  we  lighted  our  cigarettes  in  the  corridor. 

"  My  dear  Silas,  it's  a  devil  of  a  job,  and  how  to  get 
out " 

"I  meant  Mrs.  Curvven,"  he  said,  drily.  "You  didn't 
tell  me  she'd  ever  cared  for  you  ;  and  to  bring  your 
cousin," — with  a  distinct  emphasis — "  here  was  a  bit 
risky,  wasn't  it  ?  But  I  must  say  you  have  a  devil  of 
a  way  with  you.  I  couldn't  have  done  it." 

"  My  dear  fellow,  Mrs.  Curvven  is  a  shrewd,  level- 
headed, clever  commonsense  little  woman,  who  is  not 
of  the  type  you  seem  to  think.  Her  liking  for  me  is 


238   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

much  more  platonic  than  romantic,  and — well,  I'm  thun- 
dering glad  it's  all  right.  But  I  couldn't  have  done 
anything  else  if  I'd  wished  to,  for  I  had  nowhere  else  to 
go.  And  look  here,  you  behaved  like  a  brick  and  just 
saved  the  situation.  And  now  listen  while  I  tell  you 
something  of  the  mess  we're  in."  I  told  him  pretty  well 
everything,  except  my  rescue  of  the  young  King,  as 
shortly  as  I  could,  and  very  grave  it  made  him  look. 

"  You're  in  deep,  sure  enough,"  he  said  when  I  finished. 
"  But  there's  a  way  out,  and  if  I  were  you  I  should  take 
it.  I  suppose  that  as  your  brother's  dead  you  won't 
stay  on  at  the  Embassy  here  ;  well,  I  should  go  to  the 
chief,  tell  him  pretty  well  the  whole  show  and  just  stop 
at  the  Embassy  until  you  can  get  safely  away.  Quesada 
can't  touch  you,  of  course  ;  and  even  he  won't  dare  to 
try  any  games  when  he  learns  through  official  channels, 
of  course,  that  the  chief  knows  the  facts.  But  you 
must  give  up  the  fight  with  him.  You  can't  beat  him. 
No  one  can." 

"  And  Senorita  Castelar  ?  " 

"  I  should  get  that  plucky  little  widow-woman  and 
your  sister  to  smuggle  her  out  of  the  country.  It's  no 
good  blinking  things,  and  there's  no  doubt  that  the 
Carlists  will  have  a  mighty  bad  time  for  a  while  ;  while 
those  who  took  an  active  part  in  the  abduction  business 
have — well,  they've  put  their  heads  in  a  noose,  and 
that's  the  truth.  It's  a  life  and  death  matter  for  some 
of  them  :  and  you  say  she  was  a  sort  of  leader  ?" 

"Your  plan  won't  do,  Silas.  We  must  get  something 
better.  I  can't  make  up  my  mind  to  separate  from  her." 

"  Then  you'll  double  the  danger  for  you  both.  Que- 
sada will  have  a  double  trail  to  follow,  and  he's  a 
sleuth-hound  at  the  game." 


HOTEL    DE    L' OPERA    239 

"  I  shall  not  leave  her,"  I  said,  firmly.  "  I  couldn't. 
I  have  still  something  in  reserve  for  Quesada  if  need 
be,  and  I  won't  give  in.  Oh,  by  the  way,  did  any  one 
come  to  the  box  to-night  ?  " 

"Yes,  of  course,  they  did.  I'd  forgotten  it  in  this 
hubbub.  It  was  somebody  from  the  royal  box  too,  for 
you  to  go  there.  What  on  earth  does  that  mean  ? " 

"  I  think  there  was  some  mistake  or  other.  What 
message  did  you  send  ? " 

"  That  you  had  left  the  house  ;  and  when  they  asked 
for  your  address  in  Madrid,  I  gave  them  this  hotel,  as 
you  said.  Are  there  any  more  mysteries  about,  Ferdi- 
nand?" 

Mercy  came  out  then  in  search  of  us  and  saved  me 
from  replying,  and  as  we  were  entering  the  room  she 
kept  me  back  a  moment  and  pressed  my  arm  as  she 
looked  up  and  whispered — 

"  I  like  her,  Nand,  and  she  is  beautiful.  And  it's  all 
right  now,  but  we  had  such  trouble.  She's  as  proud  as 
Lucifer,  and  we  could  do  nothing  with  her  until  Angela 
— hasn't  she  behaved  splendidly  ? — kept  declaring  that 
if  she  didn't  do  what  we  wanted  she'd  bring  you  into  all 
kinds  of  trouble.  For  herself,  I  believe  she'd  go  to  the 
stake  with  a  smile  on  her  face.  But  she  loves  you,  Nand, 
and  that  settled  things.  You'll  see  a  change  in  her."  . 

"  You're  a  true  little  chum,  Mercy,"  I  said,  kissing 
her  for  her  news.  She  was  right ;  there  was  a  change. 
Sarita  was  dressed  in  sober  black,  with  white  cuffs  and 
collar,  her  glorious  hair  done  with  quite  severe  plain- 
ness ;  a  costume  that  seemed  a  sort  of  compromise  be- 
tween that  of  a  companion  and  superior  maid.  But  no 
change  could  hide  her  looks,  and  the  very  plainness  of 
her  dress  enhanced  her  beauty,  at  least  in  my  eyes. 


24o    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"  I  am  the  victim  of  circumstances,  and  of  these  two 
good  souls'  solicitude  for  your  safety,"  she  said  to  me. 

"And  what  does  it  all  mean  ?"  I  asked. 

"  We  start  for  Paris  to-morrow,"  replied  Mrs.  Cur- 
wen  ;  "and  while  you  gentlemen  have  been  smoking 
and  talking,  I  have  been  fortunate  enough  to  secure  the 
services  of  a  new  companion,  whose  name  to  the  world 
is  Juanita  Sanchez.  You  will  remember  that.  Mr. 
Mayhew,  who  can  be  trusted  to  see  to  any  business 
arrangements,  will,  I  know,  kindly  arrange  for  me  to- 
morrow to  have  a  special  train  through  to  Paris — I  am 
too  frightened  by  these  Madrid  mobs  to  remain  longer 
— and  will  get  passports  for  Mercy  and  myself  and 
Juanita ;  and  if  Lord  Glisfoyle  joins  us,  so  much  the 
better.  And  now  as  I  am  desperately  hungry  let  us 
have  supper." 

It  was  a  strange  feast,  and  had  it  not  been  for  May- 
hew's  ever  ready  glibness  of  speech,  it  would  have 
been  an  embarrassing  business.  But  he  opened  a  vein 
of  anecdotal  chatter,  and  Mrs.  Curwen  being  very  ex- 
cited, soon  began  to  keep  up  her  end,  so  that  gradually 
the  feeling  of  strangeness  wore  away  and  we  came  to 
the  discussion  of  our  plans.  There  is  no  need  to  dwell 
upon  them  further,  for  they  were  all  fated  to  be  sud- 
denly checkmated. 

We  had  finished  the  supper  ;  and  in  the  lull  that  fol- 
lowed, Mayhew  and  I,  at  Mrs.  Curwen's  request,  lighted 
cigarettes,  and  Mercy  and  Sarita  having  risen  from  the 
table,  stood  talking  together  at  the  far  end  of  the  room 
when  a  waiter  came  in,  and  approaching  Mrs.  Curwen, 
said  in  a  very  apologetic  tone — 

"  I  am  sorry  to  disturb  you,  madam,  but  someone  de- 
sires to  see  you — in  point  of  fact,  a  police  agent."  As 


HOTEL   DE   L'OPERA    241 

he  spoke,  we  heard  the  sound  of  men  moving  in  the 
corridor  and  a  whispered  word  of  command  ;  and  the 
next  moment  the  police  agent  was  in  the  room. 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  this  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Curwen, 
indignantly,  in  English,  and  the  official,  not  understand- 
ing her  words  but  replying  to  her  gestures,  bowed  and 
shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  Permit  me  to  interpret,"  said  Mayhew,  readily,  and 
he  put  the  question  in  Spanish  ;  and  meanwhile  the 
man's  eyes  were  all  over  the  room,  settling  finally  on 
me. 

"  My  instructions  are  to  come  here — the  rooms  of 
Senora  Curwen,  Hotel  de  1'Opera — "  this  he  read  from 
his  instructions — "  in  search  of  the  Carlist,  Ferdinand 
Carbonnell." 

Mayhew  made  a  show  of  interpreting  this  to  Mrs. 
Curwen,  and  jumbled  in  a  half-coherent  caution  that  he 
knew  the  man  understood  English,  so  that  we  must 
look  out. 

"  Tell  him  he  has  made  a  mistake  ;  and  you,"  she 
said  to  the  waiter,  "  go  and  fetch  the  manager  of  the 
Hotel.  I  will  not  stand  this  kind  of  treatment." 

"  In  the  presence  of  the  police  we  are  powerless, 
madam,"  replied  the  waiter.  "  The  manager  is  away, 
I  am  acting  in  his  place." 

Meanwhile  Mercy  had  turned  so  pale  that  I  was 
afraid  the  official  would  notice  it.  Then  Mayhew 
answered — 

"  You  are  under  a  grave  mistake.  This  lady  is  an 
English  visitor  to  Madrid,  has  been  here  only  two  or 
three  days,  knows  nothing  of  any  Carlists,  and  desires 
you  to  leave  her  rooms." 

"  There  is  no  mistake.     That  is  Ferdinand  Carbon- 


242    SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

nell  ;  or  at  least  he  answers  to  the  description  well 
enough  for  me,  and  he  must  accompany  me,"  and  he 
came  and  stood  by  my  chair. 

"  I  don't  know  what  you're  driving  at,"  I  said,  think- 
ing it  time  to  take  a  hand  on  my  own  account.  "  If 
you  want  me  to  go  anywhere  with  you,  I've  no  partic- 
ular objection.  But  you'll  find  yourself  in  a  mess  if 
you  carry  this  blunder,  or  fooling,  or  whatever  it  is,  any 
further." 

"  You  speak  excellent  Spanish,  senor.  May  I  ask 
your  name  ? " 

"  Is  that  a  crime  ?"  I  asked  with  a  sneer,  while  May- 
hew  laughed  unconstrainedly  and  most  naturally.  "  If 
you  want  to  know  who  I  am — I'm  an  Englishman,  Lord 
Glisfoyle  ;  and  if  you  want  anyone  to  prove  it,  we'll  go 
and  knock  up  the  English  Ambassador,  and  ask  him 
what  he  thinks  of  this  kind  of  outrage.  I  say  it's  mon- 
strous." 

"  Lord  Glisfoyle,"  he  returned,  stumbling  over  the 
pronunciation.  He  was  obviously  impressed  by  my 
coolness  and  the  little  touch  of  indignation.  He  took 
out  a  paper  and  scanned  it  closely.  "  You  answer  in 
every  particular  to  Ferdinand  Carbonnell's  description. 
These  are  anxious  times,  senor,  and  I  have  only  my 
duty  to  do,"  he  added  apologetically. 

"  I  can't  help  that,"  said  I,  quietly.  "  If  you  want 
to  arrest  me  because  I  speak  Spanish  well  and  look 
like  somebody  else,  you  must  have  a  queer  set  of  laws 
here  in  Madrid.  Had  we  better  knock  the  Ambassa- 
dor up,  for  the  enlightenment  of  the  gentleman  ? "  I 
asked  Mayhew. 

"  Nonsense,"  he  said,  with  another  laugh.  "  The 
thing's  absurd.  Here,  you  probably  know  me — or 


HOTEL   DE   L'OPERA    243 

some  of  your  men  will.  My  name  is  Silas  Mayhew,  of 
the  British  Embassy.  I  tell  you,  this  is  Lord  Glisfoyle. 
Don't  get  yourself  into  trouble  and  cause  no  end  of 
complications  by  carrying  this  thing  any  further." 

"May  I  ask  the  names  of  all  present?"  was  the 
reply,  for  he  was  by  no  means  satisfied  yet. 

"  Of  course  you  may.  I've  told  you  this  is  Mrs. 
Curwen,"  said  Mayhew,  coolly.  "  That  is  Lord  Glis- 
foyle's  sister,  and  that  Mrs.  Curwen's  companion — 
maid,  Juanita  Sanchez."  He  did  it  excellently,  as 
though  the  matter  were  the  merest  form.  The  official 
was  puzzled,  and  stood  pulling  his  beard  in  indecision. 
But  he  scarcely  glanced  at  the  two  girls,  vastly  to  my 
relief.  If  Sarita  was  safe,  I  cared  little  about  myself. 

"  Excuse  me  a  moment,"  he  said,  and  going  to  the 
door  he  spoke  to  one  of  his  men  who  came  back  to  the 
room  with  him. 

"You  are  Ferdinand  Carbonnell,  we  are  sure,"  he 
said  then,  and  to  my  consternation  he  was  holding  a 
photograph  in  his  hand.  I  remembered  then  that 
Quesada  had  obtained  one  from  me. 

"  There  is  no  room  for  doubt,"  and  he  showed  it  to 
Mayhew. 

I  saw  Sarita  start  at  this,  while  Mercy  had  to  cling 
hold  to  her  and  be  helped  to  a  chair. 

"  I'll  go  with  you,  of  course,"  I  said.  "  But  I  shall 
hold  you  responsible  for  this.  My  sister  is  not  well, 
and  your  clumsy  blunder  has  made  her  positively  ill. 
It's  all  right,  Mercy,"  I  said,  going  over  to  them,  and 
taking  occasion  to  whisper  to  Sarita,  "  I  shall  be  per- 
fectly safe  if  you'll  only  get  away.  They  can  do  noth- 
ing to  me,  and  by  to-morrow  they'll  have  a  broadside 
from  the  Embassy  that'll  make  them  shake  m  tfeeir 


244   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

shoes.  But  promise  to  leave  Madrid  with  Mrs.  Cur- 
wen." 

"  Should  I  run  away  and  leave  you  in  danger  ?  "  she 
said. 

"  I  can't  stop  to  argue,  but  if  you  care  for  me  and 
my  safety,  you'll  do  what  I  ask.  I'm  ready,"  I  said 
aloud.  "Just  let  me  see  your  documents." 

He  showed  me  an  order  signed  by  Quesada  himself, 
the  alleged  offence  being  high  treason  ;  and  I  read  it 
aloud  in  order  that  Sarita  should  hear  it,  and  I  was 
shaking  hands  with  Mrs.  Curwen  preparatory  to  leav- 
ing when  there  came  another  interruption. 

Two  officers  in  very  elaborate  uniforms  were  ushered 
in  by  a  waiter,  with  every  sign  of  extreme  deference. 
They  were  complete  strangers  to  me,  and  my  heart 
leapt  into  my  mouth  in  fear  that  it  boded  mischief  to 
Sarita. 

"  Pray  pardon  me,  madam,"  said  one  of  them  in  Eng- 
lish to  Mrs.  Curwen.  "  I  hope  we  are  not  intruding  ; 
but  we  come  on  a  mission  of  the  highest  importance. 
I  was  told  Lord  Glisfoyle  was  your  guest,  and  I  see  " — 
this  with  a  most  courteous  bow  to  me — "  I  was  not 
misinformed." 

"  I  am  Lord  Glisfoyle,  but  I  do  not  recall  the  plea- 
sure of  having  seen  you  before." 

"  That  is  my  loss,  sir,"  and  he  bowed  again.  "  I 
know  you,  however,  by  sight,  having  seen  you  to-night 
in  Mrs.  Curwen's  box  at  the  Opera,  and  afterwards  I 
learnt  from  this  gentleman,  Mr.  Mayhew,  of  your  Em- 
bassy, that  you  were  staying  here.  I  am  Colonel  Vasca, 
this  is  Colonel  Damara,"  and  we  all  bowed  again  like 
willows  in  a  breeze.  "  We  come  from  the  King,  and 
bring  His  Majesty's  earnest  request  that  you  will  wait 


HOTEL    DE    L'OPERA    245 

upon  him  at  the  Palace  at  eleven  o'clock  to-morrow, 
when  he  desires  to  present  you  to  Her  Majesty  the 
Queen  Mother,  who  adds  her  request  to  His  Majesty's." 

The  amazement  of  everyone  in  the  room  was  com- 
plete, while  the  police  official  was  lost  in  bewilderment. 
I  think  I  rather  enjoyed  the  situation,  and  answered 
very  gravely — 

"  Their  Majesty's  desires  would  have  been  commands, 
but  unfortunately  I  shall  be  prevented.  This  person,  a 
police  agent,  has  arrested  me,  so  that  instead  of  being 
in  His  Majesty's  Palace  I  shall  be  in  one  of  His  Maj- 
esty's prisons,  I  presume.  Perhaps  you  will  be  good 
enough  to  explain  the  cause  of  my  absence." 

The  seriousness  of  my  manner  and  the  incongruity 
of  the  reply  turned  the  thing  in  a  moment  to  broad 
farce  ;  with  results  which  can  be  easily  understood. 

The  King's  messengers  routed  the  Quesada  agent  in 
half  a  dozen  words,  and  sent  him  and  his  men  packing 
about  their  business.  Then  they  made  me  a  thousand 
profuse,  most  elaborate,  and  somewhat  tedious  apolo- 
gies, and  took  their  leave  with  signs  of  respect  for  me 
that  were  almost  overpowering. 

And  no  sooner  were  they  gone  than  the  other  side 
of  the  incident  was  put  before  me  very  pungently  by 
Sarita,  who  asked  with  a  very  sharp  and  searching 
glance — 

"  How  comes  the  young  King  to  be  so  friendly  with 
you,  Ferdinand,  and  apparently  under  so  great  an  obli- 
gation ?" 

The  question  showed  that  even  a  king's  favour  may 
not  be  without  its  embarrassments  ;  for  in  truth  I  did 
not  know  how  to  answer. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

SARITA'S  FLIGHT 

MRS.    CURWEN,     Mercy   and    Mayhew,    were 
almost  as  keenly  interested  as  Sarita  herself 
in  the  question  she  had  asked  with  such  vehe- 
mence, and  thus  my  hesitation  in  answering  was  the 
more  noticeable.     Their  motives  were,  of  course,  very 
different  from  hers,  and  I  could  have  put  them  off  with 
some  light  evasion  ;  but  with  Sarita  that  would  prob- 
ably  be   both    useless    and   dangerous ;   and  her  sus- 
picion deepened  with  every  second  of  my  hesitation. 

It  was  all  but  impossible  for  me  to  tell  her  the  truth 
— that  I  had  thwarted  the  long  cherished  plot  and  saved 
the  young  King.  I  could  only  tell  her  that  when  I  was 
in  a  position  to  convince  her  that  Quesada's  policy  was, 
as  I  had  described  it,  to  use  the  Carlist  plot  and  then 
crush  the  plotters. 

Moreover,  the  position,  so  far  as  I  myself  was  con- 
cerned, had  been  completely  changed  by  the  death  of 
my  brother.  Up  till  that  moment  I  had  been  a  soldier 
of  fortune  with  my  way  to  make  ;  and  the  rescue  of  the 
King  had  offered  just  the  chance  of  chances  which  a 
man  with  such  an  aim  might  most  desire.  I  had  meant 
to  make  Spain  my  home  and  to  build  a  career  on  the 
foundation  of  my  contest  with  Quesada.  There  was 
danger  in  it,  of  course  ;  but  I  was  not  scared  by  that ; 
and  when  I  gained  my  knowledge  of  his  double  treach- 


S  A  RITA'S    FLIGHT       247 

ery,  the  means  to  success  were  I  felt,  practically  within 
my  reach. 

The  fact  that  Quesada  feared  me  sufficiently  to  resort 
to  the  extreme  step  of  clapping  into  gaol  a  member  of 
the  Embassy  staff  on  a  charge  he  knew  to  be  false,  and 
one  which  he  could  not  substantiate,  and  the  extraordi- 
nary admission  he  had  made  to  his  sister,  that  by 
demanding  my  release  she  was  ruining  them,  had  given 
powerful  confirmation  to  my  confidence  ;  and  this 
attempted  arrest  in  despite  of  Dolores'  intervention,  and 
probably  without  her  knowledge,  was  still  further  cor- 
roboration  of  my  view  that  he  feared  me. 

But  the  fact  that  I  was  now  the  head  of  the  family 
had  altered  everything.  From  the  instant  I  had  known 
that,  my  purpose  changed,  and  my  object  was  to  save 
Sarita,  and  with  her  get  out  of  Spain  at  the  earliest 
moment.  I  had  no  thought  or  intention  of  declaring 
my  identity  to  the  King  unless  in  actual  need  of  His 
Majesty's  protection,  and  in  view  of  the  difficulty  of 
explaining  that  act  of  mine  to  Sarita,  I  had  meant  the 
whole  thing  to  remain  a  mystery. 

And  yet  here  I  was  faced  at  the  most  critical  and 
inopportune  moment  with  the  necessity  of  explaining. 

"  The  question  seems  strangely  difficult  to  answer," 
said  Sarita,  when  I  did  not  reply. 

"  I  don't  know  that  I  need  say  that.  There  seems 
to  be  a  good  deal  of  misapprehension  about  me  every- 
where. Probably  I  can  better  answer  the  question 
when  I  have  been  to  the  Palace — if  I  go  at  all,  that  is. 
But  I  am  not  particularly  anxious  for  His  Majesty's 
goodwill,  and  prefer  to  leave  Madrid." 

"  I  shall  not  leave  Madrid  now,"  cried  Sarita,  in- 
stantly. "  And  I  shall  go  at  once  to  my  home."  At 


248   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

this  Mercy  and  Mrs.  Curwen  broke  into  earnest  pro- 
tests, to  which  Sarita  listened  unmoved. 

"  You  are  one  of  us  now,  Sarita,  you  must  not  act  in 
this  desperate  way,  your  very  life  may  be  in  danger," 
said  Mercy,  earnestly. 

"  You  do  not  understand,"  was  the  firm,  steady  re- 
ply. "  I  am  in  no  real  danger  ;  and  if  I  were  I  should 
care  nothing.  For  what  I  have  done,  I  am  prepared  to 
answer.  I  have  plotted  for  my  rightful  King,  Don 
Carlos,  and  I  am  not  afraid  to  own  it.  I  had  built 
everything  upon  this  stroke  to-day,  and  it  has  failed. 
Why  ?  Your  brother  knows  probably  better  than  any 
one  else ;  and  until  that  mystery  is  cleared  up,  I  cannot 
accept  your  brother's  or  your  help.  I  thank  you  foi 
your  offer — from  my  heart  I  thank  you — but  I  cannot 
accept  it." 

"  This  is  madness,  Sarita,"  I  cried  warmly,  going  to 
her.  I  spoke  in  Spanish,  and  Mrs.  Curwen  and  Mercy 
left  us  and  with  Mayhew  went  to  the  other  end  of  the 
room. 

"  The  name  of  it  does  not  matter  ;  it  is  the  thing 
itself  I  care  for.  I  consented  to  leave  not  because  of 
my  own  risk  in  remaining.  I  am  not  a  coward  to  run 
away  because  I  have  failed.  I  have  always  had  the 
possibility,  nay,  the  probability,  of  failure  in  my 
thoughts,  and  have  always  been  prepared  to  face  the 
consequences.  If  I  could  contemplate  the  necessity  of 
marrying  Sebastian  Quesada,  do  you  think  I  should 
fear  a  prison  ?  I  consented  now,  because  of  the  dan- 
ger to  you  ;  but  you  stand  safe  under  the  golden  light 
of  His  Majesty's  favour  ;  how  gained  you  know  and  I 
fear  ;  but  being  gained,  my  motive  for  flight  is;  gone. 
I  shall  stay  in  Madrid  and  shall  return  to  my  home," 


SARITA'S   FLIGHT       249 

I  knew  her  too  well  to  entertain  much  hope  that  she 
would  change  her  mind,  and  what  to  do  I  knew  not. 

"  You  judge  me  very  quickly,"  I  said. 

"Can  you  explain  the  King's  sudden  favour  ?" 

"  Is  it  not  clear  that  this  raiding  of  to-night  had 
nothing  to  do  with  the  success  or  failure  of  the  attempt 
on  the  King  ?  " 

"  Can  you  explain  the  King's  sudden  favour  ? "  I 
paused,  and  then  took  the  plunge. 

"  Yes.  I  took  His  Majesty  this  afternoon  from  the 
hands  of  the  men  who  were  carrying  him  off." 

"  It  is  enough.  I  will  go,  if  you  please,"  she  said, 
quietly. 

"  You  will  step  straight  into  danger,"  I  cried. 

"  I  would  rather  be  in  danger  where  you  are  not, 
than  safe  where  you  are,  Lord  Glisfoyle."  The  cold, 
cutting  words  struck  me  to  the  heart. 

"  That  is  very  hard  to  hear,  Sarita." 

"It  is  harder  to  say,  but  it  is  no  less  than  the  truth." 

"  Yet,  I  will  not  believe  it.  Your  heart  will  not  say 
it.  You  know  how  I  love  you.  You  know  I  have  not 
a  thought  or  care  but  for  your  good,  your  safety,  your 
happiness.  You  have  confessed  you  love  me  ;  I  know 
you  do.  I  know  that  it  was  your  love  for  me  that 
prompted  you  just  now  to  think  of  my  danger  and  con- 
sent to  leave  Madrid.  Even  now  I  can  read  it  in  your 
eyes,  for  all  the  coldness  you  would  try  to  force  into 
them.  You  shall  not  go  like  this.  I  swear  to  God  you  • 
shall  not.  If  you  speak  of  truth  and  mean  that  we 
must  part,  there  must  be  at  least  some  sign  from  you 
of  that  other  truth — the  heart  truth — that  you  love  me, 
Sarita.  I  will  not  let  you  go  else." 

She  was  moved  by  my  passion,  although  she  would 


250    SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

not  let  her  own  respond  to  it.  But  the  struggle  kept 
her  silent  a  moment.  Then  she  lifted  her  head  and 
looked  me  calmly  and  still  even  coldly  in  the  eyes. 
*  "  Do  you  think  I  would  let  my  love  weigh  against 
treachery  to  the  cause  of  my  country  that  is  more  to 
me  than  life  itself  ?  Am  I  so  poor  a  thing  as  that  ?  If 
you  wish  to  give  me  pain  you  are  causing  it.  I  love 
you  ;  I  know,  as  you  know.  I  was  not  ashamed  of  it ; 
even  if  I  now  feel  shame  that  I  loved  one  who  could 
deal  Spain  this  blow.  But  I  shall  live  it  down — I  will. 
But  you  and  I  must  not  meet  again."  Her  firmness  be- 
gan to  give  out  then,  and  breaking  slightly,  she  said  in 
a  quicker  tone  of  agitation,  "  Let  me  go  now.  Nay,  I 
will  go." 

"  You  are  as  hard  as  steel,  Sarita,  but  before  you 
break  both  our  lives  in  this  wild,  impulsive  way,  you 
must  have  time  to  think.  Remember  what  I  have  told 
you,  how  all  that  has  occurred  to-night  has  long  been 
planned,  and  that  it  would  have  occurred  just  the  same 
if  I  had  not  saved  the  King.  Indeed,  it  was  actually 
being  done  while  Quesada  still  believed  the  attempt  on 
the  King  had  been  successful." 

"  There  is  no  proof  of  this,"  she  interposed. 

"  That  is  the  first  ray  of  hope  you  have  given  me. 
If  I  prove  it,  will  you  recall  the  wild  words  you  have 
spoken  to-night  ?  Give  our  love  at  least  this  one  chance, 
Sarita,"  I  pleaded. 

"  You  cannot  prove  it,"  she  said  wavering. 

"  When  I  have  proved  it,  I  will  put  that  question 
again.  And  now  as  to  to-night.  You  cannot  go  out 
into  the  streets  in  the  midst  of  uproar,  and  no  power 
on  God's  earth  shall  make  me  let  you  do  it.  Stay  here 
to-night,  promise  to  see  me  to-morrow — I  will  take  no 


SARITA'S    FLIGHT       251 

refusal  ;  and  I  have  some  claim  on  you,  if  for  nothing 
else,  for  the  warning  I  carried  to-night  to  the  Calle 
Valencia.  Promise  that,  and  I  will  see  Madame  Chan- 
sette  and  relieve  her  anxiety.  She  herself  is  leaving 
Madrid,  broken  down  by  all  this  trouble,  and  when  we 
meet  to-morrow,  you  can  make  your  decision.  You  will 
do  this?"  At  first  she  would  not  promise,  but  my  de- 
termination prevailed,  and  she  agreed  to  stay  at  the 
hotel  until  the  morning  ;  but  would  not  promise  to  see 
me  then. 

I  accepted  the  compromise,  however,  and  having 
hurriedly  explained  the  matter  to  Mrs.  Curwen  and 
Mercy,  I  left  with  Mayhew,  to  go  and  relieve  Madame 
Chansette's  anxiety. 

"  Did  I  hear  you  say  you  saved  the  young  King  ?  " 
he  asked  me  as  we  passed  down  the  stairs. 

"  Yes,  unfortunately." 

"  Unfortunately  !  Why,  when  it's  known,  you'll  be 
the  most  popular  hero  in  all  Spain." 

"And  to-night,  I  am  about  the  most  wretched.  I 
could  wish  His  Majesty  had  gone  to  the  devil  before  I 
interfered  in  the  matter  ; "  and  feeling  half-distracted 
by  my  gloomy  thoughts,  I  pushed  on  through  the  now 
clearing  streets  in  the  direction  of  Madame  Chansette's 
house. 

We  found  her  waiting  up  in  great  distress  at  Sarita's 
prolonged  absence,  and  dreading  to  hear  she  had  been 
arrested.  The  news  we  brought  relieved  her  anxiety, 
and  having  stayed  with  her  a  short  time  we  left. 

"Where  are  you  going  now?"  asked  Mayhew. 
"  Hadn't  you  better  come  and  turn  in  with  me  ?  " 

"  No,  I  think  I'll  take  the  risk  of  going  to  my  own 
rooms.  I  don't  fancy  the  police  or  Quesada  will  think 


252   SARITA,   THE    CARLIST 

for  3  moment  that  I  shall  return  there.  And  in  fact  I 
don't  care  if  they  do." 

"  Rubbish,  man.  You  come  with  me.  You're  hipped 
now,  and  want  an  hour  or  two's  sleep.  I'll  go  to  your 
rooms  first  thing  in  the  morning  ; "  and  not  caring,  I 
agreed.  I  was  as  tired  as  a  dog  after  a  hard  day's 
hunting,  and  within  a  few  minutes  of  reaching  May- 
hew's  rooms  I  fell  into  a  heavy  sleep  and  did  not  wake 
until  late  in  the  morning,  to  find  my  friend  by  my  bed 
shaking  me  vigorously. 

I  was  vastly  refreshed,  and  had  my  bath  and  some 
breakfast  while  he  went  over  to  my  rooms. 

"  Everything  seems  all  right  there,'*  he  reported. 
"  And  I  brought  over  the  first  things  I  could  find.  But 
I  think  you  may  venture  there  to  get  something  decent 
to  wear  for  the  interview  at  the  Palace." 

"  My  dear  fellow,  I  wouldn't  put  my  head  inside  my 
rooms  for  a  pension,  till  I've  been  to  the  hotel." 

"But  last  night  you  wanted  to  go  and  sleep  there." 

"  Last  night  was  last  night,  Silas,  and  I  felt  done  ; 
but  I'm  myself  again  this  morning.  Now  look  here, 
there  are  things  to  do.  In  the  first  place,  I've  written 
out  a  wire  for  the  lawyers  about  matters  in  London. 
Poor  Lascelles'  funeral  must  wait  a  day  or  two  if  need 
be.  Then  you've  got  to  see  about  the  special  train  for 
Mrs.  Curwen  and  Mercy  to  leave,  with  Sarita,  if  she'll 
go.  But  the  others  must  go,  and  probably  poor  old 
Madame  Chansette  with  them.  If  Sarita  goes,  I  go  ; 
if  she  stops  on,  I  stop  on.  I  was  a  fool  to  leave  the 
hotel  at  all  last  night,  and  my  brain  must  have  been 
addled  or  in  my  boots  for  me  to  do  it." 

"  Why  not  go  to  London  and  clear  the  business  there 
out  of  the  way  ;  let  things  simmer  down  here,  and 


SARITA'S    FLIGHT       253 

leave  me  in  charge  of  them  ;  and  then  come  back  and 
do  what  has  to  be  done  ? " 

"  Have  you  ever  cared  for  a  woman,  Silas  ?" 

He  smiled,  and  shrugged  his  shoulders  as  he  said — 

"Too  busy  and  too  poor  for  luxuries  of  the  kind." 

"Ah,  well,  everything  comes  to  those  who  wait.  If 
you  haven't,  you  don't  know  how  I  felt  in  this  ;  if  you 
ever  do,  you'll  understand  me.  I'm  ready  now,  and  feel 
fit.  I'm  off  to  the  hotel." 

"  You'd  better  see  the  chief  and  tell  him.  He  can  do 
more  than  you." 

"  He  can't  save  Sarita  from  Quesada,  and  I  can,  and 
will.  Of  course,  there's  the  chance  that  these  agents 
of  his  will  lay  me  by  the  heels,  and  we  must  reckon 
with  that.  I  don't  know  what's  going  to  happen  ;  but 
I  do  know  this,  that  where  Sarita  goes,  I  follow;  and 
so  long  as  I'm  outside  a  gaol  I'll  try  and  communicate 
with  you  twice  a  day.  If  a  day  passes  and  you  don't 
hear  from  me,  then  tell  the  chief  what's  wrong  ;  and  if 
he  can't  get  me  out  of  any  bother,  then  let  the  people 
at  the  Palace  know.  So  much  for  emergencies.  As 
for  the  rest,  I'll  cut  the  knots  as  I  find  them." 

"  You'll  come  out  on  top,  Ferdinand,  I'm  sure  of  that. 
I  wish  to  Heaven  I  had  your  energy." 

With  that  we  parted  for  the  time,  and  a  good  deal 
was  to  happen  before  we  shook  hands  again. 

As  I  drove  to  the  Hotel  de  1'Opera  I  saw  the  city 
was  as  full  of  soldiery  as  if  it  had  been  under  siege  ; 
but  no  one  interfered  with  me,  and  at  the  hotel  the 
marks  of  increased  respect  with  which  I  was  received 
evidenced  the  influence  of  the  previous  night's  message 
from  the  King. 

Everything  else  was  wrong,  however. 


254   SARITA,    THE   CARLIST 

Mrs.  Curwen  and  Mercy  were  waiting  for  me  in  a 
condition  of  nervous  excitement,  and  Madame  Chan- 
sette  was  with  them.  But  as  I  had  more  than  half 
dreaded,  Sarita  was  gone.  She  had  slept  with  Mercy 
and  had  got  up  early,  dressed,  and  written  a  note  for 
me  before  Mercy  had  awoke. 

"  She  was  just  leaving,  and  her  kiss  woke  me,"  said 
Mercy,  who  was  in  sore  trouble.  "  I  did  my  utmost  to 
persuade  her  to  stay,  at  all  events  until  you  came,  but 
I  could  do  nothing  against  her  resolve.  I  asked  her 
where  she  was  going,  but  she  would  not  say.  'I  am 
going  to  my  friends,  who  are  in  trouble  and  have 
need  of  me.  I  have  work  to  do,  and  under  no  circum- 
stances could  I  stay  with  you.  Give  your  brother  a 
note  I  have  written,'  was  all  she  would  answer.  I  am  so 
sorry,  Ferdinand." 

"  It  is  not  your  fault,  Mercy  ;  I  more  than  half  feared 
it,  and  blame  myself  for  not  having  stayed  here  in  the 
hotel.  Do  you  know  anything  of  her  movements, 
Madame  Chansette  ? " 

"  She  did  not  come  home.  I  sent  here  the  first  thing 
in  the  morning  for  news  of  her,  and  when  word  came 
that  she  was  no  longer  here,  I  hurried  to  the  hotel  my- 
self. I  meant  to  tell  her  I  will  not  stay  any  longer  in 
Madrid.  I  cannot.  I  am  miserable.  It  will  kill  me, 
this  incessant  danger,"  and  she  wrung  her  hands. 

"  She  will  be  sure  to  let  you  hear  from  her,"  I  said, 
quietly,  wishing,  to  calm  her  anxiety. 

"How  can  she  if  she  is  in  one  of  those  horrible 
prisons  ?  " 

"  She  is  not  there,  and  I  shall  find  her,  be  assured," 
I  answered,  with  much  more  confidence  than  I  felt. 
"  Do  you  know  where  Ramon  is  ?  " 


SARITA'S    FLIGHT       255 

"I  never  know  where  he  is,"  was  the  helplessly 
spoken  reply.  "  But  I  believe  some  days  ago  he  was 
somewhere  near  Saragossa,  or  Daroca,  or  some  such 
place.  But  I  don't  know.  I  know  nothing." 

"  Do  you  know  what  name  he  is  using  ? " 

"  No — yes — I  think  so.     I  believe  it  is  Solano." 

"  Good.  I  will  find  him,  at  any  rate.  Now  I  will  see 
what  she  says  to  me  ; "  and  I  opened  the  letter. 

"  I  have  thought  over  everything,  and  have  decided 
not  to  see  you  again.  Do  not  seek  me  :  it  will  be  use- 
less. To  stay  here  longer  would  be  treachery  to  those 
who  have  been  ruined  by  your  act ;  and  for  us  to  meet 
would  cause  only  pain  to  both.  You  cannot  prove 
what  you  said,  for  I  know  the  facts.  One  last  request 
I  make  you — go  to  England  and  forget  we  ever  met. 
Good-bye.  Sarita  Castelar." 

"  Does  she  tell  you  anything  ? "  asked  Madame 
Chansette,  eagerly,  for  I  had  read  the  letter  twice  with 
long  pauses  of  thought. 

"  Not  a  word  as  to  where  she  is  going.  She  tells  me 
only  that  she  does  not  wish  to  stay  and  see  me."  I 
spoke  calmly,  and  tried  to  hide  every  sign  of  the  feel- 
ings of  dismay,  pain,  and  anxiety  that  were  gnawing  at 
my  heart  ;  and,  putting  the  letter  in  my  pocket,  I 
added  :  "  And  now  as  to  your  plans.  I  should  like  you 
to  return  to  London,  Mercy,  with  Mrs.  Curwen." 

"  Do  you  think  I  am  going  away  under  such  circum- 
stances ? "  burst  in  Mrs.  Curwen,  in  a  tone  of  indigna- 
tion, " and  leave  you  in  this  pickle  of  a  mess?  If  I 
can't  help  you  find  the  senorita — and  I  don't  suppose 
I  can  do  much  good  in  that — I  can  at  least  be  at  hand 
to  help  you  when  you've  found  her.  And  here  I  stop." 

"  Mr.  Mayhew  is  arranging  for  a  special  train,"  I  said. 


256    SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

"  Then  Mr.  Mayhevv  can  travel  in  it,  and  take  this 
dear  old  lady  and  Mercy.  I  stop  in  Madrid,  and  noth- 
ing shall  move  me — unless  you  want  me  to  be  some- 
where else  in  this  detestable  country." 

"And  I  can't  go  without  Mrs.  Curwen,  Nand,  can 
I  ?  "  cried  Mercy. 

"I  call  it  just  real  mean  of  her  to  have  gone  off  in 
this  way  ;  but  I  will  say  she  is  a  brick  to  stick  to  her 
friends  in  a  mess.  And  if  ever  she  wants  a  friend,  I 
am  on  call  ;  and  that's  all  about  it.  Don't  you  think 
Madame  Chansette  had  better  stay  with  us  until  the 
senorita's  found  ? " 

"You  are  a  true  friend,  and  I  shall  never  forget 
this,"  I  answered  ;  and,  indeed,  I  was  much  moved  by 
her  spirited  declaration,  and  more  by  her  praise  of 
Sarita.  "  I  will  not  say  another  word  about  it.  But  I 
must  get  to  work." 

I  wrote  a  letter  to  the  young  King,  apologising  for 
not  being  able  to  go  to  the  Palace,  and  pleading  urgent 
and  most  embarrassing  business  ;  and,  having  de- 
spatched it,  promised  Mrs.  Curwen  and  Mercy  to  let 
them  know  how  things  went,  if  I  could,  and  said  that 
in  any  case  they  would  hear  of  me  through  Mayhew. 

With  that  I  hurried  away  to  commence  my  search. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

AN   UNEXPECTED    MEETING 

MY  knowledge  of  Sarita's  real  relations  with  the 
Carlist  leaders  was,  of  course,  too  slight  to 
enable  me  to  form  anything  approaching  a 
definite  opinion  as  to  where  she  would  go.  I  could  only 
guess,  build  up  a  workable  theory,  and  act  upon  it  until 
something  turned  up  to  guide  me. 

I  had  one  or  two  points  in  my  favour,  the  chief  being 
that  her  brother  was  probably  to  be  sought,  under  the 
name  of  Solano,  either  at  Saragossa  or  Daroca.  I 
regarded  it  as  likely  that  she  would  endeavour  to  join 
Ramon,  if  other  considerations  did  not  render  such  a 
course  undesirable. 

My  plan  was  quickly  formed.  I  intended  to  adopt 
the  Carlist  character  of  Ferdinand  Carbonnell,  and  in 
that  name  push  my  inquiries  among  the  Carlists  them- 
selves. The  name  was  a  sure  passport  among  them,  or 
it  would  be  unless  Sarita  herself  should  proclaim  me 
an  impostor.  That  was  a  contingency  which  I  did  not 
anticipate,  but  I  had  no  option  but  to  face  it. 

In  this  character,  there  were  two  men  who  might  be 
valuable  allies — Dr.  Vedia,  at  whose  house  I  had  been 
the  previous  night,  and  Vidal  de  Pelayo,  either  in  Sara- 
gossa itself,  or  at  Huesca. 

I  resolved  to  go  first  to  the  doctor,  and  hurried  to  the 


258   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

Calle  Valencia.  If  Sarita  had  left  Madrid,  I  guessed  it 
would  have  been  by  the  doctor's  help,  and  I  worked  on 
that  theory.  I  found  Dr.  Vedia  in  a  condition  of  con- 
siderable nervous  excitement. 

"  It  is  very  dangerous  to  come  here,  senor,"  he  said, 
directly. 

"  It  is  not  a  time  to  think  of  personal  considerations, 
doctor.  You  have  had  Senorita  Castelar  here,  and  I 
am  anxious  to  know  that  she  succeeded  in  getting  the 
disguise  she  sought  to  leave  the  city."  I  deemed  it 
best  to  appear  to  know  everything,  and  I  watched  him 
like  a  lynx  for  any  sign  that  my  guess  was  right.  The 
start  he  gave  was  very  slight,  but  perceptible  to  eyes 
looking  for  it,  and  without  waiting  for  his  answer  I 
made  a  further  shot.  "  The  railway  to  Saragossa  is 
watched  with  Argus  eyes  by  Quesada's  men — you  know 
that,  of  course — but  I  thought  she  might  learn  through 
you  if  the  attempt  to  get  away  might  be  dared." 

"  She  told  me  you  knew  nothing  of  her  journey,"  he 
said,  completely  off  his  guard  in  surprise. 

"  That  is  immaterial,"  I  replied,  nodding  my  head, 
smiling,  and  waving  the  remark  aside  as  a  superfluity, 
seeing  that  I  had  already  shown  my  knowledge.  "  I 
thought  that  either  a  peasant's  or  a  nun's  dress  would 
be  safest,  and  knew,  of  course,  that  she  could  get  from 
you  one  or  the  other."  It  was  notorious  that  disguises 
of  the  kind  were  frequently  kept  in  the  houses  of  the 
Carlist  agents.  "And  she  came  to  you  because  of  all 
our  houses  in  Madrid,  yours  will  be  the  least  sus- 
pected." 

"  I  don't  understand  you,"  he  said  then,  cautiously. 

"  Nor  is  it  necessary,"  I  returned,  warmly,  with  an 
air  of  offended  authority.  "  It  is  your  part,  senor,  to 


UNEXPECTED  MEETING    259 

comply  with  the  requests  laid  upon  you,  not  to  question 
their  wisdom  or  expediency."  My  sternly-uttered,  in- 
solent bluff  succeeded  where  anything  else  might  well 
have  failed. 

"  I  did  all  that  lay  in  my  power,"  he  replied,  almost 
apologetically. 

"  All  I  want  to  know  is  that  she  got  away.  So  much 
depends  upon  her  mission  that  I  came  for  the  news  at 
first  hand.  Will  she  get  through  to  Daroca — you  know 
the  movement  there  ? " 

"I  knew  nothing  of  it  until  I  read  the  news  this 
morning,  which  the  senorita  confirmed.  I  have  every 
hope  she  will  get  through.  Heaven  send  she  may  be 
in  time." 

"  So  we  all  pray  to-day,"  I  answered,  mysteriously  ; 
for  I  did  not  in  the  least  know  what  news  he  meant 
and  dared  not  question  him.  I  had  the  news  I  wanted, 
however,  and  was  turning  to  leave  when  he  stopped 
me. 

"I  ought  to  tell  you,  I  think,  that  she  warned  me 
particularly  against  you." 

"  She  was  quite  right,  but  she  knows  no  more  than 
you,  senor.  These  are  troubled  times  ;  "  and  having 
given  him  this  conundrum  to  chew  at  leisure,  I  added  : 
"  I  am  glad  to  tell  you  the  trouble  will  pass  your  house 
untouched,"  and  then  left  him,  congratulating  myself 
that  I  had  completely  mystified  him  and  had  much  im- 
pressed him  with  my  importance  as  a  Carlist  emissary. 

The  next  problem  was  how  to  get  out  of  the  city  and 
follow  Sarita  to  Daroca.  As  I  had  said  to  Dr.  Vedia, 
the  railways  were  infested  with  police,  and  watched 
closely.  In  all  probability  every  applicant  for  a  ticket 
would  be  under  observation,  and  would  have  to  give  a 


26o  SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

sufficient  reason  for  his  journey  as  well  as  a  good  ac- 
count of  himself  ;  and  not  only  had  I  no  papers  of  any 
kind,  but  I  must  almost  inevitably  be  the  object  of 
embarrassing  police  solicitude. 

As  I  neared  the  station,  therefore,  I  entered  a  res- 
taurant, and  calling  for  some  wine,  told  the  waiter  to 
bring  me  a  time-table  and  a  newspaper.  A  glance  at 
the  paper  showed  me  it  was  full  of  the  Carlist  troubles. 
There  was  a  short  official  account  of  the  young  King's 
adventure  and  a  dozen  unofficial  ones,  while  from  all 
parts  of  the  country  were  scores  of  telegrams  speaking 
of  Carlist  outbreaks,  actual  and  anticipated.  Among 
these  was  one  that  arrested  my  attention  instantly. 

The  Carlist  movement  was  described  as  being  in 
chief  force  along  the  eastern  littoral,  from  Alicante  to 
the  north  of  Barcelona  ;  and  spreading  over  the  whole 
of  Catalonia  and  Aragon  ;  while  Huesca,  Saragossa 
and  Daroca  were  referred  to  as  so  many  central  danger 
spots  inland. 

The  message  from  Saragossa  contained  the  follow- 
ing : 

"  Telegrams  from  Daroca  suggest  that  that  secluded 
place,  being  so  difficult  of  access,  has  been  used  as  a 
kind  of  headquarters  for  a  strong  and  active  Carlist 
body  ;  the  proximity  to  the  mountains  having  rendered 
it  especially  liked  by  those  bands  of  wild  and  lawless 
mountaineers  who  are  known  to  be  deeply  embroiled  in 
the  present  disturbances.  The  government  agents  here 
(Saragossa)  have  learnt  that  a  man  known  as  Solano, 
believed  to  be  one  of  the  most  reckless  and  venture- 
some of  the  Carlist  propagandists,  came  here  lately  from 
Daroca.  He  narrowly  escaped  capture,  and  in  the 
room  he  had  occupied  were  found  a  quantity  of  com- 


UNEXPECTED  MEETING     261 

promising  documents,  such  as  addresses  to  the  people 
and  stamped  brevets  of  appointments  in  a  Castilian 
rifle  brigade.  A  quantity  of  arms  and  ammunition  were 
also  discovered  through  the  papers  he  left  when  he  fled. 
The  situation  here  is  decidedly  serious.  A  conflict  has 
occurred  between  here  and  Huesca,  in  which  blood  was 
shed,  and  the  military  bea.ten  by  the  superior  numbers 
of  the  Carlists.  The  authorities  have  now  closed  all 
the  known  Carlist  clubs,  have  arrested  a  number  of  the 
leaders,  and  have  placed  many  others  under  close  police 
and  military  surveillance.  There  is  every  fear  of  an 
outbreak." 

The  news  might  well  make  me  grave.  It  was  into 
this  hornets'  nest  I  had  to  follow  Sarita,  and  in  following 
her  had  to  take  the  double  risk  of  danger  from  both 
sides. 

If  the  police  agents  identified  me,  I  should  be  clapped 
into  gaol  by  them  as  the  dangerous  revolutionary, 
Ferdinand  Carbonnell  ;  while  the  Carlists  might  very 
probably  hold  me  for  a  spy  and  a  traitor,  the  proper 
mark  for  either  bullet  or  dagger. 

But  go  to  Saragossa  and  on  to  Daroca,  aye,  and  on 
to  the  end  of  the  world,  I  would,  if  necessary,  and  if  I 
could  get  there,  in  search  of  Sarita  ;  and,  putting  down 
the  paper,  I  picked  up  the  railway  guide  to  find  the 
route  and  the  train  time. 

Then  came  a  very  pertinent  and  unpleasant  reminder 
of  the  difficulties  ahead  of  me.  Chancing  to  glance  into 
the  street,  I  saw  three  men  in  earnest  conversation  close 
to  the  door,  and  recognised  two  of  them  ;  Senor  Rubio, 
the  official  who  had  been  at  Quesada's  house  the  night 
before,  and  the  man  who  had  come  in  search  of  me  to 
the  Hotel  de  1'Opera.  The  third  was  a  stranger. 


262   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

They  stood  for  two  or  three  minutes  talking  earnestly, 
and  when  they  parted,  the  two  I  knew  went  together 
hurriedly  toward  the  railway.  I  sauntered  to  the  door 
and  watched  them  enter  the  station,  after  exchanging 
a  word  with  one  or  two  men  standing  about  in  front  of 
the  building. 

How  could  I  hope  to  get  away  unrecognised,  was  my 
perplexed  thought  as  I  returned  to  my  table.  These 
men  knew  me  personally,  and  had  spoken  to  me ;  one 
of  them  had  my  photograph,  and  I  did  not  doubt  that 
it  had  been  reproduced  by  the  hundred  and  distributed 
among  the  police  spies.  Quesada  was  not  the  man  to 
do  things  by  halves,  and  this  Rubio  was  no  doubt  both 
a  willing  and  clever  agent. 

Still,  the  attempt  must  be  made,  and  if  they  laid  hold 
of  me  I  must  rely  on  the  Embassy  or  the  palace  to 
procure  my  liberty  ;  and  I  turned  up  Daroca  in  the 
guide.  It  was  a  beast  of  a  place  to  get  at  and  there 
was  no  train  for  some  hours. 

It  was  the  terminus  of  a  loop-line  some  forty  odd 
miles  south  of  Saragossa,  and  could  only  be  reached  by 
going  to  that  place  first.  It  seemed  to  be  a  sort  of 
cul-de-sac  with  the  mountains  all  about  it — just  the  place 
of  all  others  in  the  country  that  would  be  most  difficult 
to  reach,  and  having  been  reached,  probably  a  hundred 
times  worse  to  leave.  As  I  realised  the  inaccessibility 
of  the  spot,  and  the  proportionate  increase  in  my  diffi- 
culties and  risks,  my  irritation  and  chagrin  found  vent 
in  a  curse  which  paradoxically  proved  most  provi- 
dential. 

"  Damn  the  place,"  I  exclaimed  aloud,  heartily,  as  I 
tossed  the  book  on  the  table. 

"•That's  just  the  sweetest  word  I've  heard  to-day, 


UNEXPECTED  MEETING    263 

and  if  it  is  anything  to  do  with  the  railway,  sir,  I'd  like 
to  join  you  in  the  curse." 

The  speaker  was  a  florid,  flabby-faced,  square- 
shouldered,  middle-aged  man,  who  was  sitting  at  the 
other  end  of  my  table,  and  received  my  look  of  sur- 
prised and  somewhat  intolerant  protest  at  his  inter- 
ruption, with  a  broad,  good-natured,  knowing  smile. 

"  No  offence,  I  hope,"  he  went  on,  glibly,  "  I  meant 
none  ;  but  when  I  heard  you  swear  in  dear  old  English, 
I  couldn't  help  chipping  in.  This  is  an  infernal  coun- 
try to  do  business  in  at  the  best  of  times,  but  at  the 
worst,  and  I  suppose  this  is  about  the  worst ;  it's  the 
most  God-forsaken,  riotous,  bundle-you-about,  stick-a- 
knife-into-you-if-you-say-anything,  and  run-you-in-if- 
you-don't  cursed  hole  that  ever  a  man  was  condemned 
to  travel  in.  I  don't  do  much  in  their  beastly  lingo  at 
any  time,  and  I  haven't  heard  a  word  of  English  this 
day  till  I  heard  your  '  damn,'  and  if  there's  any  sympa- 
thy in  any  word  of  ours,  I  say  it's  in  a  good  old  hearty 
damn.  And  damn  the  place  I  say  too." 

"  You  put  it  crudely,  my  friend,  but  there's  something 
in  the  theory,  perhaps  ;  though  I  haven't  heard  it  be- 
fore," I  replied,  amused,  in  spite  of  myself.  "What's 
your  worry  ?  I  know  what  you  call  the  lingo,  and  if  I 
can  help  you,  well,  we're  both  English,  and  that's 
enough." 

"  My  name's  Hunter,  David  Hunter,  of  the  firm  of 
Ross  and  Catter,  the  lace  people  of  London,  Notting- 
ham, Calais,  and  everywhere  where  lace  counts.  You'll 
know  them  if  you're  on  the  road,  or  ever  have  been ;  " 
and  he  gave  me  one  of  his  business  cards. 

"  I've  been  on  a  good  many  roads,"  said  I,  taking  the 
card  ;  "  but  never  on  such  a  queer  one  as  this." 


264  SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"  May  I  ask  your  name,  sir  ?  " 

"  Glisfoyle." 

"  Glisfoyle,  umph,  I  haven't  met  it.  In  any  particu- 
lar line,  may  I  ask  ?  " 

"  In  no  particular  line  at  present ;  travelling  for  my- 
self, and  not  exactly  on  business,  commercial  business, 
that  is.  But  all  the  same,  if  I  can  be  of  any  service,  I 
shall  be  glad." 

"  I  wish  you  could,  but  it  isn't  anything  to  do  with 
the  language,  as  you  suggested.  I  can  patter  along  in 
my  way,  sufficient  for  what  I  want.  But  this  isn't  the 
lingo.  I  wanted  to  get  to  Daroca  ;  a  big  order  depends 
on  my  getting  certain  samples  there,  and  now  they 
tell  me  the  place  is  full  of  those  hot-headed  fools 
of  Carlists,  and  that  it's  as  much  as  a  man's  life  is 
worth  to  poke  his  head  into  the  hole,  I  like  my  firm, 
and  like  a  good  order  too,  but  I  like  my  head  a  thun- 
dering sight  better  ;  and  so  I  say,  damn  the  place  and 
the  Carlists  too — stopping  business  in  this  fat-headed 
way." 

The  mention  of  Daroca  set  my  ears  tingling,  as  may 
be  imagined.  Here  might  be  a  chance  in  a  thousand 
for  me  to  get  there,  and  while  he  chattered,  I  thought 
and  planned. 

"I  am  going  to  Daroca,"  I  said  quietly.  "If  you 
like  we  could  travel  in  company,  and  if  one  of  us 
chanced  to  get  killed — not,  perhaps,  a  great  improba- 
bility— the  other  could  deliver  your  samples.  The 
order  might  thus  reach  your  firm,  and  even  if  you  were 
not  fortunate  to  live  and  profit  by  it  your  widow  might 
be  glad  of  the  commission.  I  know  there's  danger 
there,  but  then  a  man  can  only  die  once,  Mr.  Hunter, 
and  how  better  than  in  the  performance  of  his  duty  ? " 


UNEXPECTED  MEETING    265 

His  fat,  flabby  face  paled  slightly,  and  I  went  on  to 
give  a  vivid  and  coloured  picture  of  the  risks,  until  he 
was  obviously  very  much  frightened  indeed. 

"  And  you  are  going  to  such  a  place  ? "  he  asked, 
looking  at  me  as  though  I  were  a  madman. 

"  Oh  yes,  why  not  ?  It's  so  difficult  to  find  a  little 
excitement  nowadays,"  I  said,  in  a  rather  languid, 
bored  tone.  "  You'll  find  it  pleasant  enough  after  a 
bit." 

"  No  thank  you,  sir.  David  Hunter  doesn't  travel 
in  bullets  and  guns  and  explosives.  My  skin  ain't  war- 
ranted not  to  puncture  either.  It's  out  of  my  line 
altogether.  But  if  you  really  mean  that  you  are  going, 

that  you're  really  bent  on  going "  he  stopped  and 

looked  at  me. 

"  Well  ?  " 

"  I  wouldn't  do  a  blessed  thing  to  persuade  any 
fellow  creature  to  shove  his  head  into  such  a  devil's 
pit,  but  if  you  are  going,  perhaps  you  wouldn't  mind 
undertaking  a  little  commission  for  me." 

"  Not  the  least  in  the  world.     What  is  it  ? " 

"  It's  only  to  deliver  a  few  samples — they  aren't  big 
enough  to  bother  you,  and  just  say  they're  from  me," 
and  he  gave  me  particulars  of  what  he  wanted.  "  It 
wouldn't  take  me  an  hour,  and  I'd  be  awfuliyobliged 
to  you,  and  so  would  my  firm." 

"  I  don't  care  a  cent  for  your  firm,  but  I'll  do  it  to 
oblige  you,  Mr.  Hunter,  if  you  think  you  can  trust  me 
with  the  samples." 

"  I  hope  I  know  a  gentleman  when  I  see  one,  Mr. 
Glisfoyle  ;  and  you're  one  of  the  right  sort.  Besides, 
the  samples  are  of  no  great  value  ;"  and  this  excellent 
caution  made  me  smile. 


266   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"I' won't  run  away  with  them,  anyhow  ;  and  if  you'll 
go  to  the  station  when  the  time  comes  and  get  me  a 
ticket — get  a  return  if  you  can,  and  if  any  questions 
are  asked  just  give  your  own  name  and  the  lace  busi- 
ness as  the  reason  for  the  journey,  and  you  may  con- 
sider the  thing  settled."  I  handed  him  a  bank-note. 

"  Oh,  you  think  they  mightn't  let  you  go  then  ? "  he 
said,  shrewdly. 

"  They  will  let  a  man  with  definite  business  to  do 
pass  much  more  readily  than  one  who  can  plead  noth- 
ing more  than  a  wish  to  see  the  fun." 

He  gave  me  a  meaning  look,  a  knowing  twist  of  the 
head,  and  a  wink. 

"  I  twig.  I'll  soon  have  a  ticket,"  he  said,  and  went 
off  briskly.  He  was  soon  back  with  the  ticket.  "  It's 
all  right.  I  gave  a  card  and  showed  'em  my  samples, 
and  that  did  the  trick.  And  if  you  don't  mind  my  giv- 
ing you  a  wrinkle,  you  take  my  case  with  you  and  some 
of  my  cards.  Looks  workmanlike ;"  and  seeing  the 
policy  of  it,  I  accepted  the  case. 

"  We'll  go  over  together  when  the  train's  due  out,"  I 
said;  "and  as  there  might  still  be  some  questions 
asked,  you'd  better  appear  to  be  going  until  the  last 
moment." 

In  this  way  we  managed.  Just  before  the  train  was 
due  out  we  went  together  and  I  kept  as  much  out  of 
sight  as  possible  ;  and  taking  care  to  avoid  Rubio  and 
the  other  official  who  knew  me,  I  succeeded,  under  the 
pretence  of  seeing  Mr.  Hunter  off,  in  getting  away 
without  any  difficulty  at  all.  It  was  so  simple  a  matter 
indeed  that  I  was  disposed  to  laugh  at  my  careful  pre- 
cautions ;  but  I  had  ample  reason  to  be  glad  of  them 
before  we  had  travelled  far.  Not  once  only  but  half 


UNEXPECTED  MEETING    267 

a  dozen  times  I  had  to  show  my  ticket  and  explain  the 
purpose  of  my  journey,  and  that  I  was  Mr.  David 
Hunter,  representing  the  great  lace  firm  of  Messrs. 
Ross  &  Catter. 

Nor  were  those  the  only  exciting  incidents  of  the 
journey.  We  made  a  stoppage  of  some  minutes  at  a 
station  some  thirty  miles  out  from  Madrid,  Guadalajara, 
and  there  I  made  the  unpleasant  discovery  that  the 
police  agent  Rubio  was  travelling  by  the  same  train. 
I  caught  sight  of  him  as  he  was  walking  along  the 
platform  scanning  the  passengers  pretty  closely.  I 
thrust  my  head  out  of  the  opposite  window,  therefore, 
and  kept  it  out  until  we  started  again,  feeling,  I  must 
admit,  profoundly  uncomfortable. 

He  did  not  see  me,  however,  or  at  any  rate  recognise 
me,  but  I  did  not  breathe  freely  until  we  were  well  clear 
of  the  station  and  again  steaming  north,  when  I  drew 
in  my  head  and  resumed  my  seat,  with  a  casual  look  at 
the  fresh  passengers  who  had  entered  the  carriage  at 
the  station.  And  then  I  made  a  discovery,  which  sent 
the  blood  for  an  instant  rushing  to  my  heart  and  made 
me  catch  my  breath  in  sudden  dismay. 

Right  opposite  me,  their  knees  almost  touching  mine 
and  their  eyes  staring  full  into  my  face,  were  two  men, 
whom  I  recognised  instantly,  and  who  were  as  unwel- 
come fellow-passengers  as  the  keenest  scented  police 
spy  in  Spain  could  have  been. 

They  were  two  of  the  men  from  whose  hands  I  had 
snatched  the  young  King  on  the  previous  day.  One 
wa's  the  man  I  had  ridden  down  and  then  knocked 
unconscious  on  the  road,  and  the  other  was  he  who  had 
come  running  up  at  the  last  moment,  whose  horse  I 
had  borrowed  for  the  young  King's  use. 


268   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

If  they  recognised  me,  and  both  were  staring  at  me 
as  though  trying  to  place  me  in  their  memory,  who 
could  tell  what  would  be  the  result  ?  We  had  over  100 
miles  to  travel  together,  if  they  were  bound  for 
Saragossa ;  and  the  thought  of  it  might  well  set  my 
teeth  on  edge. 

With  an  effort  I  pulled  myself  together,  however,  and 
to  get  my  nerves  quite  steady,  I  opened  Mr.  Hunter's 
despatch  case,  holding  it  on  my  knees  with  the  name 
turned  towards  them,  and  made  a  pretence  of  looking 
through  my  samples,  watching  them  well  the  while.  I 
saw  them  interchange  a  sneer  and  a  shrug  of  the 
shoulders  as  they  rolled  fresh  cigarettes.  I  thanked 
my  luck  profusely.  That  little  ruse  of  the  small  silken 
mask  had  kept  my  secret  safe,  and  they  did  not  know 
me.  Very  soon  their  interest  in  my  features  slackened, 
and  they  began  to  talk  in  low  tones. 

When  I  felt  safe,  my  doubts  gave  place  to  pleasure  ; 
and  I  set  to  work  to  consider  whether  I  could  turn  the 
incident  to  good  account  and  make  use  of  the  two  men 
for  the  purpose  I  had  in  view. 

What  better  chance  could  I  ever  hope  to  have  of 
playing  my  part  of  Carlist  leader  ?  These  two  were 
sure  to  be  among  the  best  known  of  the  Carlists  ;  for 
none  but  picked  men  would  have  been  told  off  for  such 
a  task  as  theirs  of  the  previous  day.  It  was  clear  they 
did  not  know  me  ;  and  as  Ferdinand  Carbonnell  was  to 
them  or  to  anyone  no  more  than  a  name,  why  should  I 
not  declare  myself  to  them  in  that  name  ?  That  I  knew 
them  would  be  sufficient  to  impress  them  greatly ; 
while  the  interchange  of  the  password  would  probably 
convince  them  of  my  sincerity. 

It  was  an  easy  guess  that  they  were  on  their  way 


UNEXPECTED   MEETING    269 

either  to  Saragossa  or  to  Daroca  ;  and  they  had  no 
doubt  come  so  far  on  horseback  or  on  foot,  deeming  it 
safer  to  join  the  train  where  they  had,  than  to  risk 
going  back  to  do  so  at  Madrid.  In  all  probability 
their  object  in  going  there  was  the  same  which  had 
taken  Sarita  in  the  same  direction.  Either  it  had  been 
pre-arranged  that  the  leaders  should  gather  there  in 
the  event  of  the  abduction  plot  failing,  or  there  had 
been  some  summons  when  the  failure  was  known. 

All  these  thoughts  and  a  hundred  other  conjectures 
rushed  into  my  mind  as  I  sat  fiddling  with  the  bits  of 
lace  and  making  sham  jottings  in  a  pocket-book.  And 
I  resolved  to  take  the  risk. 

Catching  one  of  them  looking  at  a  bit  of  the  lace  I 
smiled  and,  holding  it  towards  him,  said  casually — 

"  A  pretty  bit  of  work  that,  senor." 

He  took  hold  of  it  gingerly  and  nodded  with  a  laugh, 
as  if  to  humour  me. 

"  Very,  senor  ;  but  I  don't  know  anything  about  it  ; 
and  don't  want  any." 

"  I'm  not  offering  to  sell  it  you.  But  anyone  can  tell 
good  lace,  I  should  think.  That's  a  bit  of  a  kind — fit 
for  a  King's  ransom  ; "  and  I  looked  him  straight  in 
the  eyes.  It  was  a  somewhat  daring  move,  but  I 
wanted  them  both  to  look  well  at  me  with  the  thought 
of  the  King  in  their  minds  ;  and  so  that  I  could  be 
quite  positive  that  they  did  not  know  me.  They  both 
grunted,  and  one  of  them  swore  softly  under  his  breath; 
but  no  look  of  recognition  came  into  his  eyes. 

"  Thank  you,  I  don't  want  any,  senor,"  was  the  an- 
swer, shortly  spoken,  as  though  to  close  the  conversa- 
tion. 

"  Ah  well,  I  suppose  you've  no  King  to  ransom,"  I 


270    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

returned,  and  laughed  pleasantly;  but  as  the  laugh 
ended,  I  looked  again  at  him  meaningly  ;  and  then  sur- 
prise and  question  showed  on  his  face. 

"  Do  you  travel  in  this  ?"  he  asked,  sharply. 

"Yes,  my  name's  Hunter,  David  Hunter,  of  the  great 
lace  firm  of  Ross  and  Catter,  of  London.  Here's  my 
card  ;  "  and  I  handed  him  one  ;  I  said  this  for  the 
benefit  of  the  rest  of  the  people  in  the  carriage  who 
were  listening.  "  If  you  care  about  such  things,  I  can 
find  you  something  of  interest." 

"  I  don't,  thank  you,  Senor  Hunter.  Odd  time  for 
such  business,  I  should  think,"  and  he  returned  the 
card. 

"Depends  on  the  business,  of  course,"  said  I,  "and 
of  course  on  the  man.  I'm  going  to  Daroca  ;  and  ex- 
pect to  do  a  good  stroke  there,"  and  while  I  was  speak- 
ing, I  wrote  on  the  back  of  the  card  :  "  Counting  all 
Renegades  lovers  of  Satan.  By  the  Grace  of  God  ;  " 
and  covering  it  with  a  piece  of  lace,  I  handed  it 
to  him  again.  "  Now,  there's  something  you  might 
care  to  see." 

The  start  he  gave  caused  him  to  let  his  cigarette  fall, 
and  as  he  stooped  down  to  recover  it,  he  whispered 
for  me  to  hear — 

"  By  the  Grace  of  God,"  and  when  he  sat  up  his  face 
was  set  like  steel  in  his  sudden  excitement.  He  mut- 
tered a  word  to  his  companion  and  passed  him  the  card. 
He  in  his  turn  was  scarcely  less  excited. 

"  It's  quite  a  unique  pattern.  Very  rare  ;  "  I  said  ; 
and  when  he  returned  me  the  lace  and  card,  I  scribbled 
hurriedly  my  name,  "Ferdinand  Carbonnell ; "  and  as 
they  read  it  our  eyes  met. 

"  You  are  right,  senor.    We  have  never  seen  anything 


UNEXPECTED   MEETING    271 

like  it  before,  and  are  more  glad  than  we  can  tell  you 
to  have  seen  it  to-day." 

"  I  thought  you  would  be  interested/'  I  replied, 
lightly  ;  and  taking  the  card  I  tore  it  into  a  hundred 
pieces,  and  flung  it  out  of  the  window  ;  and  in  silence 
put  the  samples  away  into  the  case. 

All  had  gone  well,  so  far,  very  well ;  for  I  had  turned 
two  of  the  most  dangerous  enemies  a  man  could  well 
have,  into  two  staunch  allies  at  the  very  moment  of 
peril. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

NEWS    OF    SARITA 

HAVING  made  myself  known  to  my  two  travelling 
companions,  I  had  next  to  ascertain  their  des- 
tination and  plans.  I  had  not  much  doubt 
that  they  were  going  to  Daroca,  and  when  I  had  al- 
lowed enough  time  for  the  impression  I  had  created  to 
have  due  effect,  I  began  to  talk  in  the  casual  tone  one 
uses  with  chance  acquaintances,  covering  the  real 
meaning  of  my  words  in  the  form  of  business  chatter. 

"  I  suppose  you  gentlemen  are  in  the  same  line  as 
myself,  and  going  to  Daroca  by  way  of  Sarago^sa  ? " 

"We  are  newspaper  correspondents.  I  represent 
the  '  Puebla/  and  my  name  is  Cabrera,  senor,"  replied 
the  elder  of  the  two — this  was  he  whose  head  I  had 
cracked  on  the  highway.  "  My  friend,  Senor  Garcia, 
is  of  the  '  Correo.'  We  are  going  up  about  the  Carlist 
outbreak.  We  are  going  to  Daroca,  of  course,"  and 
gave  me  a  significant  glance,  and  added  in  a  lower 
tone,  "  But  we  shall  ride  from  Calatayud ;  much 
quicker." 

"Of  course,"  I  assented,  trying  to  rally  my  scanty 
geographical  knowledge  of  the  place  to  understand  his 
meaning.  I  must  not  show  ignorance  on  such  a  point, 
seeing  that  my  character  was  that  of  a  kind  of  flying 
scout  who  would  be  presumed  to  know  all  such  things. 
"  I  think,  perhaps,  I'll  join  you.  They  tell  me  business 
at  Saragossa  is  seriously  interfered  with,  but  that  at 


NEWSOFSARITA          273 

Daroca  something  can  still  be  done.  I  am,  therefore, 
going  there." 

"  Good,"  said  both. 

"  I  suppose  there's  nothing  really  serious  in  this 
Carlist  business  ? "  I  said,  in  a  tone  of  indifference. 
"You  newspaper  gentlemen  generally  know  these 
things." 

"From  our  point  of  view  you  may  call  it  serious, 
perhaps  ;  seeing  that  we  are  ordered  to  such  a  place 
as  Daroca.  The  authorities  too  are  pretty  much  in 
earnest." 

"  Ah,  yes,  so  it  appeared  at  Madrid.  By  the  way,  I 
saw  on  the  station  there,  the  great  police  agent,  Rubio, 
I  think  his  name  is.  He  is  travelling  in  this  very 
train  ;  I  suppose  also  on  Carlist  business." 

"  Rubio  in  this  train,  is  he  ? "  exclaimed  Cabrera. 
"We  must  get  hold  of  him,  Garcia,  and  see  what  he's 
after.  He'll  have  news  ; "  and  both  were  evidently 
surprised  and  somewhat  uneasy. 

"I  suppose  you  know  all  these  officials  by  sight?" 
said  I,  with  a  light  laugh.  "  That's  the  best  of  news- 
paper work  ;  at  least  so  it  seems  to  me." 

"  We  have  not  been  long  enough  in  the  work  to 
know  many  people,  and  we  are  scarcely  known  by 
anyone." 

"Then  I  am  more  fortunate  than  you,  perhaps,  for 
this  Senor  Rubio  and  I  have  met,  and  I  daresay  he 
would  know  me  again,"  They  were  quick  enough  to 
read  this  as  a  caution  that  Rubio  must  not  see  me  ; 
and  then  I  turned  the  talk  to  general  matters,  and  one 
or  two  other  passengers  joined  in  it. 

At  the  next  station,  the  last  we  were  to  stop  at  be- 
fore we  alighted,  our  fellow  passengers  got  out.  Our 


274  S  A  RITA,   THE   CARLIST 

tickets  were  examined  again  ;  we  were  once  more 
questioned,  and  the  two  Carlists  produced  credentials 
from  their  supposed  newspapers,  which  proved  suffi- 
ciently satisfactory.  But  when  the  matter  had  just 
ended  and  the  official  was  closing  the  carriage  door, 
an  incident  occurred  that  gave  me  a  passing  twinge  of 
anxiety.  The  police  agent,  Rubio,  passed  the  carriage, 
and  a  quick  little  start  as  his  keen  gaze  flashed  through 
the  carriage  showed  me  that  he  had  recognised  me. 

"  Rubio  has  seen  and  recognised  me,"  I  whispered 
hurriedly  to  my  companions,  in  a  sharp  authoritative 
manner.  "  He  may  arrest  me.  In  that  case  do  nothing, 
but  go  on  to  Daroca,  and  make  it  your  chief  charge  to 
find  and  protect,  with  your  lives  if  need  be,  the  Senorita 
Sarita  Castelar.  I  can  get  out  of  Rubio's  clutches  again 
quite  safely." 

"They  shan't  take  you,"  said  Cabrera,  with  grim 
earnestness. 

"  You  will  do  nothing  to  prevent  it.  I  can  protect 
myself,"  and  opening  my  sample  case,  I  began  fingering 
the  samples  again  while  I  waited  during  three  minutes 
of  as  anxious  suspense  as  I  have  ever  endured.  Then 
to  my  intense  relief  the  train  started,  and  I  breathed 
freely.  It  was  moving  along  the  platform  when  a  young 
man,  protesting  excitedly  that  he  must  go,  opened  the 
door,  jumped  in  and  sank  breathless  in  the  corner  seat, 
while  the  porter,  swearing  generously,  ran  alongside 
and  fastened  the  door  after  him. 

"  That  was  a  near  thing,  wasn't  it  ?  "  he  said  to  me. 
"  Wonder  if  they  got  my  luggage  in  ;  "  and  putting  his 
head  out,  shouted  vociferously  to  those  on  the  platform 
to  throw  his  bags  into  the  luggage  break.  "  Good,"  he 
exclaimed,  as  he  sat  down  again.  "They  can  do 


NEWSOFSARITA          275 

things  if  you  only  shout  at  them.  They  got  them  in." 
Then  rolling  himself  a  cigarette,  he  asked  me  for  a  light, 
and  began  to  chat. 

"  A  commercial  traveller,  I  see,"  he  said.  He  had  a 
pleasant  voice,  and  to  keep  my  character,  I  went  all 
through  the  lace  business  again.  In  reply  he  gave  a 
long  account  of  himself,  to  which  I  paid  little  attention, 
and  then  he  gradually  led  the  conversation  ,to  Carlism, 
and  professed  a  good  deal  of  sympathy  with  the  Carlists 
who  seemed  to  have  fallen  on  evil  times. 

"  I  am  an  Englishman,  senor,  and  these  things  can 
be  nothing  to  me  except  so  far  as  they  are  bad  for 
trade,"  I  answered,  and  commenced  to  make  some 
entries  in  a  note  book  as  if  to  close  the  conversation. 
He  would  not  be  put  off,  however,  and  continued  to 
talk,  asking  a  host  of  questions  and  trying  to  draw  my 
companions  into  the  conversation. 

To  my  surprise  they  would  not  speak  to  him,  not  even 
replying  when  he  put  questions  direct  to  them,  and  after 
a  while  the  talk  ceased,  and  we  travelled  a  number  of 
miles  in  silence.  Then  he  began  again,  and  pestered  me 
with  questions  as  to  my  journey,  where  I  had  come  from, 
where  I  was  going,  what  business  I  had  done,  and  so  on, 
and  again  made  strenuous  efforts  to  get  my  companions 
to  speak. 

"We  must  be  within  a  few  miles  of  Calatayud,"  he 
said,  at  length,  and  at  that  Garcia,  having  exchanged  a 
glance  with  Cabrera,  crossed  the  carriage,  and  saying 
they  would  have  the  window  closed  now,  pulled  it  up 
and  sat  down  opposite  the  stranger. 

"  You  have  been  very  anxious  to  make  us  talk  with 
you,  senor  ;  may  I  ask  why  ? "  he  said. 

"  Merely  because  I  hate  travelling  in  silence." 


276    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"You  are  very  interested  in  the  Carlists,  too,  I 
notice,"  and  Garcia  looking  him  straight  in  the  face 
said,  "  Kindly  tell  us  the  nature  of  that  interest?  " 

"  Mere  sympathy  with  them  of  course.  I  think 
they're  being  very  hardly  dealt  with.  That's  all." 

"  Are  you  one  of  them  ? " 

"  Oh  no,  certainly  not." 

"  Perhaps  you  know  some  of  them  ?  " 

"  No,  I  don't  think  I  do."  The  answer  was  lightly 
spoken,  but  I  noticed  that  a  shadow  of  anxiety  began  to 
show  on  his  face. 

"  By  sight,  perhaps  ?  " 

"  No.  No,  not  even  by  sight."  The  tone  was  grow- 
ing less  firm. 

"  What  did  you  say  you  were  ?  " 

"  Really,  I  am  not  here  for  examination,"  and  I  saw 
his  hand  go  stealing  towards  his  pocket. 

"  Keep  your  hand  out  of  your  pocket,  please.  I  must 
know  more  about  you.  You  are  armed,  I  observe,  and  I 
must  know  why.  My  friend  and  I  are  of  the  secret 
police  ;  and  our  mission  is  in  search  of  Carlist  spies. 
You  are  one  ;  and  we  are  going  to  search  you."  And 
almost  before  I  grasped  the  meaning  of  the  thing,  Gar- 
cia had  whipped  out  a  revolver,  and  the  stranger,  now 
showing  unmistakable  signs  of  fear,  was  looking  along 
the  barrel  into  the  strong,  threatening  face.  At  that 
Cabrera  crossed  the  carriage  and  sat  beside  him.  "  The 
right  pocket,"  said  Garcia,  coolly  ;  and  his  companion 
plunged  his  hand  in  and  drew  out  a  revolver. 

"  Put  your  hands  up,"  cried  Garcia,  his  voice  ringing 
with  menace. 

"  I'm  no  Carlist  spy,"  cried  the  fellow,  and  then 
appealed  to  me.  "  You  won't  see  this  done,  senor,  with- 
out trying  to  help  me  ?  " 


NEWS   OF   SARI T A          277 

"  It's  not  my  affair.  I'm  neither  police  nor  Carlist," 
I  answered.  And  then  in  my  turn  I  had  a  most  dis- 
quieting surprise. 

"  You  evidently  know  this  man,"  said  Garcia,  in  the 
same  rough,  blunt  tone,  indicating  me  with  a  side  jerk 
of  the  head.  "  Who  is  he  ?  "  while  Cabrera  half  turned 
toward  me  holding  his  revolver  in  readiness.  "  If  you 
won't  answer,  we'll  find  the  way  to  make  you.  I  be- 
lieve you're  both  Carlist  spies."  It  was  so  naturally 
done  that  for  the  moment  I  more  than  half  believed  I 
was  really  suspected.  But  I  was  not  long  in  doubt. 
While  Garcia  threatened  him  with  the  revolver,  Cabrera 
searched  him  thoroughly. 

"  Why,  you  infernal  scoundrel,  you  are  not  only  a 
Carlist  spy,  but  you  dare  to  carry  papers  on  you  to 
make  you  out  one  of  us  secret  police,"  cried  Cabrera 
in  a  voice  of  thunder. 

"  I  am  a  police  agent,"  was  the  reply.  "  But  I  don't 
know  you." 

"  Then  who  is  this  man  here  ?  You  know  him.  I 
saw  that  the  instant  I  clapped  eyes  on  you.  You're 
here  to  spy  on  him,  if  you're  one  of  us.  Quick,  who  is 
he?  You  want  to  keep  this  capture  all  to  yourself,  do 
you,  you  selfish  dog  ?  " 

"  He's  Ferdinand  Carbonnell,  and  pretends  to  be  an 
Englishman." 

"  And  who  the  devil  is  Ferdinand  Carbonnell  ?  " 

"  Who  should  he  be  but  one  of  the  Carlist  leaders  ?" 
was  the  answer  sullenly  spoken,  the  tone  showing  that 
the  fear  for  his  life  was  passing  and  giving  place  to  the 
minor  one  of  losing  an  important  prisoner  and  the 
credit  of  the  capture. 

"  Good,  then  we'll  see  to  him.     As  for  you,  you're  a 


278     SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

disgrace  to  the  whole  of  us,  getting  in  and  talking  your 
magpie  chatter  about  sympathies  with  the  Carlists  and 
all  the  rest  of  it.  Why,  if  we'd  been  Carlists  ourselves, 
we  should  have  known  you  by  your  lying  tongue.  You 
must  have  a  lesson,  my  friend.  If  you  knew  this  man, 
why  didn't  you  arrest  him  at  the  last  station,  or  before  ? 
Or  is  the  whole  thing  only  a  lie  to  cover  some  Carlist 
trick  ?  " 

"  He  was  only  recognised  at  the  last  station,  and 
there  wasn't  a  strong  enough  body  of  police  there  to 
take  him.  He  may  have  a  lot  of  friends  in  the  train. 
These  are  Senor  Rubio's  own  orders.  He  is  in  the 
train  and  has  wired  for  help  to  Calatayud." 

"  Oh,  well,  we're  going  to  make  the  capture  now,  not 
you.  Now,  Cabrera,"  he  said  quickly,  and  they  both 
darted  on  him,  and  tied  him  up  hands  and  feet.  "  We 
shall  be  in  Calatayud  in  a  few  minutes.  Shall  we  shoot 
him  and  pitch  him  out  of  the  window  ?  Dead  men  keep 
silence  longest."  And  Garcia  looked  so  reckless  and 
fierce  that  I  thought  he  would  do  it  on  the  spot 

"  Is  that  necessary  ? "  I  said,  hastily,  shrinking  from 
the  thought  of  bloodshed.  "  Gag  him  and  leave  him 
under  the  seat.  We  need  no  entanglements  we  can 
avoid." 

For  a  moment  the  man's  fate  hung  in  the  balance,  and 
his  bloodless  face  and  staring  eyes  of  terror  as  he  glanced 
from  one  to  another  were  sickening  to  look  upon. 

"  For  God's  sake,  don't  kill  me,"  he  cried,  eagerly. 
"  I  won't  say  a  word  of  what  has  passed.  I  swear  on 
my  soul  I  won't." 

"  He'll  know  us  now  by  sight,"  muttered  Cabrera, 
who  was  clearly  of  Garcia's  mind  ;  and  the  argument 
was  undoubtedly  strong. 


NEWSOFSARITA          279 

But  I  could  not  see  murder  done  in  cold  blood,  and 
in  a  very  firm,  authoritative  voice  and  manner  I  said  : 

"  I  will  have  no  blood  needlessly  shed.  Let  it  be  as 
I  say."  And  somewhat  to  my  surprise,  and  greatly  to 
my  satisfaction,  the  two  yielded  to  me. 

"  Mischief  may  come  of  a  tongue  that  can  wag  as  his 
does,"  growled  Cabrera,  and  his  companion  gave  way 
with  equal  reluctance.  But  I  insisted,  and  the  spy's 
bonds  were  tightened,  he  was  gagged  securely,  and  laid 
for  the  while  on  the  seat,  while  we  held  a  whispered 
council. 

"  There'll  be  a  strong  body  of  men  in  waiting  for  us 
at  Calatayud.  What  are  we  to  do  ? "  asked  Garcia  ; 
and  in  all  truth  it  was  an  awkward  puzzle. 

It  was  clear  we  couldn't  hope  to  make  a  fight  of  it. 
Any  attempt  of  the  kind  would  be  the  instant  signal  for 
us  to  be  surrounded  and  probably  shot.  For  the  mo- 
ment I  was  disposed  to  let  my  companions  escape,  and 
give  myself  up  to  Rubio  ;  but  against  this  course  were 
very  strong  arguments  arising  out  of  the  scene  with 
the  police  spy.  At  the  best  of  it  I  should  have  some 
difficulty  in  explaining  my  presence,  while  the  treat- 
ment meted  out  to  him  constituted  in  itself  an  offence 
of  which  I  could  not  clear  myself.  If  Rubio  arrested 
me  on  such  a  charge  and  in  such  an  out-of-the-way  place, 
it  would  be  an  easy  matter  for  Quesada  to  instruct  him 
to  put  me  away  where  the  Embassy  might  not  find  me, 
and  inquiries  even  from  the  palace  might  prove  abor- 
tive. 

At  all  hazards  I  must  get  away  therefore,  and  the 
question  was — how  ?  I  could  only  think  of  one  means, 
and  I  explained  it  rapidly. 

"  I  think  I  have  it,"  I  said.     "  Calatayud  is  an  out- 


280   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

of-the-way  place  with  not  many  police,  and  probably 
the  men  wired  for  by  Rubio  will  be  soldiers — much 
easier  folk  to  fool.  Rubio  will  reckon  that  we  have  no 
suspicion  of  his  intentions,  and  will  simply  have  wired 
to  have  the  men  at  the  station  to  await  his  instructions. 
We'll  leave  the  train  as  it  slows  down  before  entering 
the  station,  therefore  ;  and  if  any  attempt  is  made  to 
interfere  with  us,  we'll  play  another  scene  of  this  farce 
of  yours — that  I'm  an  escaped  Carlist  and  you're  the 
police  after  me.  Then  we  must  hustle  things  through 
as  chance  serves,  and  get  horses  as  quickly  as  can  be." 

"They'll  be  waiting  for  us  at  old  Tomaso's,"  said 
Cabrera,  readily.  "  Yes,  it'll  do.  Fortunately  we're 
well  at  the  back  of  the  train,  and  there's  a  curve 
through  a  cutting  just  before  the  station  that  will 
serve  us  well  ;  and  Tomaso's  isn't  five  hundred  yards 
from  the  top  of  it.  We  can  slip  out,  dash  up  the  side 
of  the  cutting,  and  be  half-way  there  before  the  train 
pulls  up." 

"  And  give  this  brute  a  whack  on  the  head  to  keep 
him  silent  for  a  while,"  put  in  Garcia,  who  seemed  to 
have  a  keener  appetite  for  violence  than  his  really 
sterner  comrade. 

"  It'll  serve  no  purpose,  and  may  only  get  us  charged 
with  attempting  to  murder  him.  There  must  be  no 
violence,"  I  said,  and  Cabrera  agreed,  seeing  the  force 
of  my  words. 

"  We're  close  there  now,"  he  added ;  and  giving  a 
final  look  at  our  prisoner  to  see  that  he  was  securely 
tied  and  gagged,  we  thrust  him  under  the  seat  and 
made  ready  to  leave  the  carriage. 

The  place  could  not  have  suited  better  such  a  plan  as 
ours.  We  were  in  luck,  too,  for  the  train  slowed  down 


NEWS    OF    SARITA          281 

on  approaching  the  curve,  so  that  we  were  able  to 
leave  it  quite  safely.  I  jumped  out  first  and  sprang 
rapidly  up  the  high  bank,  the  others  following  me.  I 
let  them  catch  me  up  before  we  reached  the  top,  as  I 
did  not,  of  course,  know  in  which  direction  to  run,  and 
then  together  we  darted  off  as  fast  as  our  legs  would 
carry  us. 

We  had  only  one  incident.  Having  crossed  a  field 
we  leapt  into  the  road,  and  almost  jumped  on  the  top 
of  a  couple  of  soldiers  who  were  obviously  on  patrol 
duty.  Up  went  their  guns  as  they  called  us  to  halt. 

"  Now  we've  got  you,"  cried  Cabrera,  fiercely,  clap- 
ping his  hand  on  my  shoulder.  "  Tie  his  hands,  Garcia  ;  " 
and  with  ready  presence  of  mind  he  turned  to  the 
soldiers  and  laughed,  as  he  took  his  hat  off  and 
breathed  hard. 

"  They'll  want  you  at  the  station,"  he  said.  "  There's 
half  a  trainful  of  these  cursed  Carlists,  and  our  chief 
Rubio,  from  the  capital,  has  only  got  a  handful  of  men 
with  him,  and  is  at  his  wit's  end  for  help.  But  he'll  be 
glad  we've  netted  this  bird  ;  "  and,  turning  to  me,  he 
shook  me,  cursing  and  abusing  me  with  voluble  vio- 
lence. 

The  soldiers,  completely  taken  in,  lowered  their 
weapons,  and  were  obviously  interested  in  the  smart 
capture. 

"  Who  is  he  ? "  asked  one,  with  a  grin. 

"  He  broke  from  the  train,  the  brute,"  answered 
Cabrera,  "  and  gave  us  all  the  trouble.  I  wish  you'd 
tell  the  chief  we've  taken  him  on,  and  that  he's  safe  in 
the  lock-up.  Come  on,  Garcia,  or  the  beast  may  be 
up  to  some  of  his  tricks  again.  Let's  get  him  under 
lock  and  key  ;  "  and,  shoving  me  forward,  they  pushed 


282    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

by  the  soldiers,  who  drew  aside  and  wished  them  luck 
for  this  good  day's  work. 

"  Thank  the  Virgin,  we  hadn't  to  break  their  heads 
with  their  own  guns,"  growled  Cabrera  ;  and  the 
moment  we  were  out  of  sight  of  the  men  we  set  off 
running  again  at  full  speed,  and  did  not  stop  until  we 
reached  the  house  where  we  were  to  find  horses.  This 
was  an  inn,  and  both  my  companions  were  well  known 
to  the  old  man  who  came  out  to  meet  them.  A  white- 
haired,  exceptionally  dark-skinned,  and  most  pictur- 
esque-looking old  fellow,  who  greeted  the  two  quietly, 
but  cordially,  and  looked  suspiciously  at  me. 

"Who's  this?  "he  asked. 

"  The  most  honoured  guest  who  ever  crossed  your 
threshold,  Tomaso,"  answered  Cabrera.  "  Take  off 
your  hat  to  him  ;  and  if  his  name  were  whispered  in 
your  ear,  you'd  be  ready  to  bow  your  head  to  his  boots. 
We  must  have  three  horses  instantly.  The  dogs  are 
close  on  our  heels." 

The  old  fellow  raised  his  hat  and  bowed  his  head, 
and  the  long  white  locks  shone  in  the  mellow  light  of 
the  now  dying  sun.  To  act  the  part  which  Cabrera 
had  thus  assigned  to  me,  I  returned  the  bow,  and  in  a 
quick,  imperious  tone,  said  : 

"  The  horses,  my  good  Tomaso,  the  horses,  with  all 
the  dispatch  you  can  show.  Even  minutes  may  spell 
danger." 

"  Your  lordship  can  depend  upon  me,"  he  returned, 
deferentially,  and,  turning,  gave  a  sharp  order  to  a 
groom  who  stood  near.  "  You  will  take  wine  while  you 
wait.  It  will  be  but  a  minute." 

We  entered  the  house,  and  food  and  wine  being  laid 
out  in  readiness,  we  ate  and  drank  hastily  ;  and  the 


NEWSOFSARITA         283 

moment  the  horses  were  at  the  door  I  paid  him  liberally, 
and  we  mounted. 

"  Is  the  road  clear,  Tomaso  ?  "  asked  Cabrera. 

"Yes,  senor,  I  believe  so.  Juan  and  Andreas  rode 
forward  with  the  senorita  some  four  hours  ago.  I  in- 
structed them  to  ride  with  their  eyes  open,  and  if  they 
saw  anything  suspicious  during  the  first  half-score  of 
miles,  one  of  them  is  to  hide  with  the  senorita  and  the 
other  return  and  warn  you.  After  that  you  will  be  safe, 
and  among  our  own  people.  I  wish  you  all  God-speed 
on  the  journey,  and  glorious  success  at  the  end  of  it. 
If  there  is  any  trouble,  Andreas  or  Juan  will  show  you 
the  mountain  paths." 

"  The  senorita  ? "  I  asked,  pricking  up  my  ears  at  his 
words. 

"Aye,  the  blessings  of  the  Holy  Virgin  rest  ever  on 
her  lovely  face — the  Senorita  Castelar,"  and  he  bared 
his  old  head  again,  with  a  look  of  deep  enthusiasm  on 
his  rugged  features. 

I  waited  for  no  more. 

"  Forward,  gentlemen,"  I  cried.  "  Great  work  lies 
ahead  of  us." 

It  was  full  time  we  started.  We  had  paused  but  a 
few  minutes  at  the  inn,  but  already  in  the  distance  be- 
hind us  signs  of  commotion  in  the  direction  of  the 
station  were  to  be  discerned. 

Only  one  thought  found  place  in  my  mind,  however. 
It  was  not  for  the  danger  we  had  escaped,  nor  the 
work  that  lay  ahead,  nor  the  risk  inseparable  from  this 
close  companionship  with  the  two  Carlists,  of  whose 
desperate  character  I  had  had  full  evidence.  Sarita 
was  but  four  hours  ahead  of  me,  and  we  should  meet  at 
latest  in  Daroca. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

A  CHECK 

WE  were  all  three  well  mounted,  and  we  rattled 
our  horses  along  at  a  good  pace,  quickening 
soon  into  a  smart  gallop,  until  we  felt  that  the 
risks  of  pursuit  from  Rubio's  men  or  the  soldiery  were 
over,  and  then  we  slackened  and  took  matters  more 
leisurely.  We  had  five  and  twenty  miles  to  cover,  and 
a  good  deal  of  the  road  was  rough  and  hilly  enough  to 
make  us  desirous  to  save  our  horses  as  much  as  pos- 
sible. 

But  the  slower  pace  gave  the  greater  opportunity  for 
conversation,  and  in  this  I  knew  there  must  be  a  cer- 
tain amount  of  risk  that  something  might  be  said 
which  would  rouse  my  companions'  doubts  of  my  sin- 
cerity. So  far  they  had  an  absolute  conviction  that  I 
was  heart  and  soul  with  them  in  the  cause,  that  I  was  a 
very  Carlist  of  Carlists,  and  one  to  whom  they  owed 
that  kind  of  rough-and-ready  obedience  which  a  recog- 
nised leader  might  rightly  demand. 

So  long  as  we  were  engaged  together  in  escaping 
from  the  police  there  was  little  chance  of  their  making 
any  compromising  discoveries  about  me ;  but  every 
mile  that  carried  us  nearer  to  Daroca  was  also  bringing 
me  face  to  face  with  a  very  different  position,  in  which 
a  hundred  pitfalls  would  threaten  me  with  discovery  in 
every  direction.  There  were  a  thousand  things  I  should 


A    CHECK  285 

be  expected  to  know,  and  any  number  of  people  whom 
I  ought  to  be  able  to  recognise  ;  and  failure  in  any  one 
of  them  might  bring  the  glaring  search-light  of  suspi- 
cion of  treachery  upon  me.  A  mere  hint  that  I  was  a 
spy  would  expose  me  instantly  to  the  imminent  peril  of 
death. 

These  considerations  made  me  thoughtful,  as  well 
they  might,  and  I  rode  plunged  in  deep  thought.  But  I 
could  see  no  alternative  except  to  leave  everything  to 
blind  chance  and  just  do  what  my  wits  might  suggest 
as  each  crisis  arose.  Sarita  was  ahead,  and,  as  I  knew, 
in  danger  ;  and  to  Sarita  I  would  go,  let  the  peril  be 
what  it  might,  and  come  from  either  Government  men 
or  Carlists. 

"  Have  you  formed  any  plans,  senor  ?  "  asked  Cabrera, 
in  his  strong,  deep  voice,  as  we  rode  side  by  side.  Gar- 
cia was  riding  some  hundred  yards  ahead  at  my  sug- 
gestion, to  warn  us  of  trouble  should  any  threaten  us, 
and  we  could  only  make  out  his  form  indistinctly  in 
the  evening  gloom. 

"  How  can  we  plan  till  we  know  what  is  happening 
with  our  friends  ?  If  all  is  well,  we  must  carry  on  the 
fight ;  if  all  ill,  we  can  only  scatter  and  hide.  A  child 
can  plan  so  far,  and  the  wisest  of  us  no  farther.  I  am 
very  anxious." 

"  You  are  right.  Things  have  gone  badly.  Instead 
of  the  simultaneous  risings,  the  Government  have  got 
their  hands  in  first,  and  have  dealt  us  a  heavy  blow,"  he 
answered,  rather  dismally. 

"  How  came  you  to  let  the  young  Pretender  escape  ? 
I  saw  you  carry  him  off,  with  rare  cleverness  ;  and 
when  you  drove  away  with  him  I  believed  the  day  was 
won  for  Spain." 


286    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"  In  the  devil's  name  I  don't  know  how  it  was  done," 
he  answered,  with  genuine  feeling.  'Tor  my  part,  I 
am  shamed.  I  know  only  that  once,  when  the  carriage 
stopped,  I  saw  a  horseman  and  a  riderless  horse  closing 
in  on  us,  and  got  down  to  learn  the  cause,  fearing 
trouble.  It  must  have  been  the  devil  himself,  I  think, 
in  the  flesh,  and  hell  organised  a  miracle  to  save  the 
Pretender.  The  horseman  rode  me  down — me,  Juan 
Cabrera — and  stretched  me  senseless  on  the  road  before 
I  had  a  thought  of  his  intention,  and  when  I  came  to, 
the  thing  had  happened.  How  many  men  there  were 
with  him,  I  know  not — Garcia,  who  came  running  up 
at  the  close,  swears  that  there  was  never  more  than 
one — but  it  can't  be  true.  If  ever  we  meet — and  I 
should  know  him  again  in  twenty  thousand  men — and 
there  is  an  ounce  of  strength  left  in  my  arm,  I'll  use  it 
to  plunge  a  knife  into  the  heart  of  the  man  who  dealt 
that  blow  at  me  and  Spain." 

"  Good.  You  were  ever  a  man  prompt  to  action, 
Cabrera  ;  and  you  must  have  been  bewitched."  This 
touched  his  superstition,  however. 

"The  Holy  Saints  forefend,"  he  said,  hurriedly, 
crossing  himself.  "  But  I  believe  it  truth  that  he  was 
no  man,  but  the  devil  in  the  shape  of  a  man.  And,  mark 
you,  senor,"  he  cried,  eagerly,  "  what  else  could  it  be  but 
wizards'  work  ?  Didn't  Correja's  horse  fall  and  stun 
him  at  the  very  moment  of  all  others  when  this  could 
have  happened  ?  Aye,  and  what  but  the  devil  could 
send  Garcia's  horse  galloping  off  at  the  same  moment? 
But  I'll  never  cease  to  search  for  him,  and  if  I  don't  find 
him  on  earth  I'll  wait  till  I  get  to  purgatory,  and  bribe 
the  devil  with  gift  of  my  soul  to  point  him  out  to  me. 
The  curse  of  all  hell  upon  him  !  "  And  then,  somewhat 


A    CHECK  287 

incongruously,  he  crossed  himself  again,  as  though  to 
give  additional  power  to  his  curse. 

"  Aye,  the  Fates  have  been  against  us,"  said  I  :  and 
not  caring  to  push  the  subject  further,  and  feeling  pro- 
foundly thankful  that  his  power  to  recognise  me  had 
fallen  so  far  short  of  his  most  vindictive  desire,  I  urged 
my  horse  to  a  canter,  and  we  rode  on  in  silence.  But 
his  talk  made  me  feel  how  peril  was  here  always  close 
at  my  very  elbow. 

Presently  the  moon  rose,  and  the  brilliant,  streaming 
light  flooded  the  whole  landscape  until  it  was  as  bright 
as  day.  The  road  was  fast  getting  rougher  and  more 
hilly  ;  the  country  wilder  and  more  rugged  ;  and  the 
mountains  lay  to  our  left,  the  peaks  towering  up  to 
great  heights,  majestic  and  grand  in  the  bathing  moon- 
light. The  air  was  solemnly  still  ;  only  the  sounds  of 
our  horses'  feet,  the  creaking  of  the  saddle  leather,  and 
the  musical  jingle  jangle  of  the  bits  breaking  the 
silence. 

"  We  have  covered  many  more  than  old  Tomaso's 
ten  miles,  and  should  be  safe,"  I  said  once,  as  we  were 
walking  our  horses  up  one  of  the  steep,  short  hills 
which  now  checked  our  progress  constantly  ;  but  the 
words  were  scarcely  out  of  my  lips  when  Cabrera  laid 
his  hand  on  my  bridle  arm  and  checked  his  horse. 

"  Halt,  senor.  I  hear  Garcia  coming  back  ;  "  and  a 
moment  later  his  figure  and  that  of  another  horseman 
were  silhouetted  on  the  top  of  the  hill,  and  they  came 
down  to  us  at  a  sharp  trot. 

"There  is  danger  ahead,  senor,"  cried  Garcia,  as  he 
rode  up.  "Andreas  has  come  back  to  meet  and  warn 
us.  The  soldiers  are  out  in  some  force  between  here 
and  Daroca.  Young  Juan  has  taken  the  senorita  to  a 


288  SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

hiding-place  until  the  road  is  clearer,  and  Andreas  here 
will  guide  us  by  another  way." 

"  Tell  me  all  you  know,  Andreas,"  I  said  to  the  lad, 
a  sharp,  bright-looking  fellow  of  about  eighteen  or 
twenty. 

"  All  went  well  till  we  were  some  five  miles  from 
Daroca,  senor.  I  was  keeping  to  the  main  road,  not 
expecting  any  interruption,  when  I  heard  from  a  friend, 
who  had  driven  out  from  the  town,  that  he  had  passed 
a  number  of  mounted  soldiers,  on  patrol  work,  and  he 
believed  that  all  the  ways  into  the  town  were  guarded." 

"  Did  you  yourself  see  any  soldiers  ? " 

"  Not  then,  but  soon  afterwards,  senor.  I  climbed  a 
tree  on  one  of  the  hillsides,  and  could  make  out  several 
parties  of  them.  Perhaps  eight  or  ten  soldiers,  or  a 
dozen  may  be,  in  each." 

"  Were  any  riding  this  way,  or  were  they  merely 
stationary  ? " 

"Riding  this  way,  senor,  not  fast,  just  patrol  pace; 
and  I  saw  them  stop  one  or  two  peasant  folk  and 
question  them." 

"And  then?" 

"  I  saw  I  could  not  bring  the  senorita  into  the  town, 
senor,  and  thought  the  best  thing  to  do  was  to  take 
her  to  a  safe  hiding-place  and  then  ride  back,  as  my 
grandfather  told  me." 

The  news  set  me  thinking  fast.  It  was  ugly  enough 
from  the  Carlist  point  of  view,  but  it  promised  to  prove 
a  perfect  Godsend  to  me.  I  should  catch  Sarita  before 
she  could  get  to  Daroca  and  join  the  rest  of  her  Carlist 
friends. 

"Where  is  the  hiding-place  ?"  I  asked  next. 

"  It  lies  about  a  league  from  the  main  road,  senor. 


A    CHECK  289 

The  house  of  the  farmer  Calvarro  ;  you  will  know  him, 
senors,"  he  said  to-  my  companions,  who  nodded. 

"Very  shrewdly  chosen,"  declared  Cabrera,  readily. 

"  And  very  cleverly  acted  altogether,  my  lad,"  I 
added.  "  Can  you  bring  us  by  a  safe  path  to  the  house, 
and  afterwards  guide  us  into  the  town  ? " 

"  I  can  bring  you  to  the  house,  senor  ;  but  I  doubt 
getting  into  Daroca.  That  depends  upon  the  soldiers' 
vigilance.  I  can  try." 

"  Forward,  then,"  I  cried,  eager  to  get  to  Sarita. 

"  It  is  a  very  difficult  path — a  mere  mountain  track 
in  places — and  we  must  go  cautiously  and  slowly  ;  but 
it  is  the  only  one,"  said  the  lad.  He  trotted  back  to 
the  foot  of  the  hill,  where  he  put  his  horse  at  a  low 
gate,  and  led  us  at  a  smart  gallop — he  could  ride  like  a 
centaur,  and  his  horse  seemed  as  fearless  as  he  was — 
across  two  or  three  fields,  and  away  up  the  hill  by  the 
side  of  some  vineyards  ;  behind  a  wood,  where  the 
shadows  were  as  dark  as  night,  and  the  path  absolutely 
indistinguishable. 

"  This  is  ominous  news,  Cabrera,"  I  said,  when  the 
pace  slackened. 

"About  the  worst  it  could  be,"  he  answered,  gloom- 
ily. 

"  I  read  it  that  Rubio  has  set  the  telegraph  to  work, 
having  learnt,  or  guessed,  that  we  were  making  for 
Daroca.  And  this  is  the  reception  prepared  for  us." 

"  True  ;  but  what  are  all  these  soldiers  doing  round 
Daroca  ?  It  means  more  than  you  fear,  senor.  They 
are  going  to  strike,  and  strike  hard  at  our  very  heart. 
If  the  headquarters  in  Daroca  are  seized,  what  hope  is 
there  for  the  cause  ?  " 

"  We  cannot  tell  yet.     It  may  not  be  so  bad  as  that, 


29o    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

The  cause  is  the  cause  of  righteousness,  and  must  suc- 
ceed. We  must  wait." 

"  Wait,  aye,  it  is  always  wait,  till  one's  stomach 
sickens  and  pines  on  the  diet,"  he  cried,  bitterly.  "  We 
must  get  into  Daroca  before  the  night's  many  hours 
older,  let  the  soldiers  swarm  where  they  please." 

"  My  intention  is  this — to  go  to  this  Calvarro's  house, 
join  the  senorita,  and  either  make  a  dash  for  the  town 
with  her,  or  send  in  on  the  chance  of  help  getting  out 
to  us." 

"  One  plan  is  as  good  as  another,  I  fear.  The  Fates 
are  fighting  against  us,  senor  ;  and  when  that's  so,  the 
best  is  no  better  than  the  worst,  and  the  worst  no 
worse  than  the  best,"  he  replied,  growing  more  and 
more  despondent  as  matters  grew  more  threatening. 
That  is  ever  the  way  with  fatalists. 

"These  Fates  have  a  human  shape  and  a  name  well 
known  in  Spain,  Cabrera — the  name  of  Sebastian 
Quesada.  It  is  his  brain,  and  not  fate,  that  is  engineer- 
ing the  destruction  of  the  cause." 

"  Then  why  wasn't  he  dealt  with  ?  Are  there  no 
arms  strong  to  strike,  no  blades  sharp  to  pierce,  no  wit 
cunning  to  find  the  means,  no  courage  ready  to  give  life 
for  life?  By  the  Holy  Virgin,  are  we  all  cowards? 
Had  I  had  my  way,  the  young  Pretender  had  never  es- 
caped !  This  comes  of  woman's  work  and  silly  fears 
and  sickly  sentiment.  What  is  his  life,  or  Quesada's, 
or  of  any  one  of  them,  more  than  that  of  the  meanest 
of  us  ?  My  arm,  aye,  and  my  life,  too,  could  have  been 
had  for  the  asking.  As  if  you  could  drive  the  wild 
beast  of  revolution  with  a  silken  thread  ;  with  your 
senorita  here,  and  your  senorita  there  !  And  now,  the 
force  we  were  afraid  to  use  is  to  be  turned  to  crush  us." 


A   CHECK  291 

"Will  railing  at  what  hasn't  been  done  help  us  to 
think  of  what  we  have  to  do?"  I  asked,  sternly. 
"  What  sort  of  courage  or  wit  is  that  which  finds  its 
tongue  when  the  hour  to  act  has  passed  ?  If  those  are 
your  thoughts  about  the  senorita,  who  has  risked  her 
liberty  and  her  life  to  rush  now  into  the  thickest  of  the 
danger  when  peril  is  at  its  height,  go  back  and  save 
your  skin.  There  is  still  time  to  fly  ;  but  don't  plague 
us  and  pollute  the  air  with  your  doleful  cries." 

"Good,"  cried  Garcia,  who  had  listened  to  us  in 
silence.  "  That  crack  on  your  head,  Cabrera,  has 
knocked  the  wit  out  of  you.  What  is  it  but  the  act  of 
a  jackass  to  bray  in  the  face  of  danger  ?  " 

"  By  the  God  that  made  me,  I  am  a  fool  and  have 
fallen  low  to  be  the  butt  of  your  clumsy  wit,  Garcia, 
and,  the  Holy  Saints  help  me,  to  deserve  your  gibes  and 
have  no  answer.  Senor,  I  beg  your  forgiveness  ;  and  if 
I  grumble  again,  put  a  bullet  in  my  head  and  I'll  say  it 
serves  me  right.  The  senorita,  the  Virgin  bless  her 
lovely  face,  shan't  lack  help  while  I  can  give  it.  But 
I'm  the  better  for  my  growl." 

We  rode  forward  again  then,  the  ground  offering  a 
little  better  going  ;  and  when  we  had  to  walk  the  horses 
next,  I  called  the  lad  Andreas  to  my  side  and  questioned 
him  more  closely  as  to  what  he  had  seen  and  heard  of 
the  doings  in  Daroca,  and  about  our  chance  of  getting 
into  the  town  from  the  farm  where  he  had  left  Sarita. 

"  I  forgot  to  tell  you,  senor,  that  I  hinted  to  Juan 
that  if  the  senorita  would  let  him  leave  her,  he  should 
try  and  make  his  way  into  Daroca — no  one  would  sus- 
pect him — and  find  out  how  things  were  going  there 
and  return  to  Calvarro's  with  his  report." 

"  You  are  a  clever,  farseeing  lad ;  "  and  I  gave  him 


292    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

a  liberal  reward  for  his  wit.  "  Now  think,  is  there  no 
way  by  which  we  could  possibly  steal  into  the  town  ?  It 
is  most  urgent." 

"  There  is  but  one  possible  way,  senor,  and  it  is  right 
on  the  other  side  of  Daroca  from  Calvarro's.  We  should 
have  to  make  a  wide  circuit  over  the  shoulder  of  the 
hills  to  the  north  through  the  thick  olive  woods  there. 
I  know  the  route,  but  even  on  horseback  it  would  take 
some  hours  to  cover  it." 

"  Still,  at  the  worst  it  could  be  done  ?  " 

"  Yes,  at  the  worst,  senor." 

"  And  how  long,  think  you,  could  anyone  lie  con- 
cealed at  Calvarro's  ?  " 

"I  can  scarcely  say,  senor.  It  must  depend  upon 
how  wide  the  soldiers  push  out  their  search  parties,  and 
how  well  those  who  guide  them  know  the  country.  But 
they  would  have  difficulty  in  finding  anyone  in  Daroca 
to  act  as  guide  ;  and  without  a  guide  the  soldiers  them- 
selves might  pass  and  repass  the  place  without  sus- 
picion." 

"  Even  in  daylight  ?  " 

"Yes,  even  in  daylight,  senor.'' 

"  And  you  think  we  shall  find  no  soldiers  between 
here  and  there  ?" 

"  I  believe  there  is  no  chance  of  it — but  Senor 
Cabrera  knows  the  place  and  can  answer  that  as  well 
as  I." 

"  Good,  push  on  then  with  all  possible  haste,"  I  said, 
and  dropping  back  to  Cabrera  I  told  him  that  I  had 
made  a  change  in  my  plan. 

"  Andreas  tells  me  it  is  still  possible  to  get  into  and 
out  of  Daroca  without  being  seen,  and  what  I  think 
should  be  done  is  this :  Send  one  of  the  lads  by  the 


A    CHECK  293 

quickest  way  into  the  town  to  warn  our  friends  and  to 
prepare  a  party  to  come  to  us  ;  and  you,  or  perhaps 
better,  both  you  and  Garcia,  go  with  the  other  lad  to 
meet  them  by  the  longer  way,  and  bring  them  to  us  at 
Calvarro's.  We  can  make  the  place  our  headquarters 
for  the  time." 

"  I  think  you're  forgetting  one  thing,  senor,"  he  re- 
plied, with  a  grim  smile.  "  If  there's  a  means  of  getting 
into  Daroca,  the  senorita  won't  stop  at  Calvarro's,  but 
will  insist  on  going  herself.  Indeed,  I  shall  be  more 
than  a  little  surprised  if  we  find  she  hasn't  gone  before 
we  reach  Calvarro's  at  all.1' 

Knowing  Sarita  as  I  did,  I  felt  the  truth  of  this. 

"  We  will  see,"  I  said  ;  and  as  our  young  guide  again 
hurried  us  forward  then  I  said  no  more.  The  way  was 
more  open  for  a  mile  or  two  now,  and  we  rattled  for- 
ward at  a  sharp  trot  in  single  file.  Then  came  another 
steep  climb  up  the  shoulder  of  the  mountain  and  down 
on  the  other  side,  both  so  steep  that  we  had  to  dismount 
and  lead  our  horses,  and  at  the  bottom  I  was  told  we 
were  within  a  mile  of  our  destination. 

Instinctively  then  we  rode  in  dead  silence,  keeping  to 
cover  for  every  possible  yard  of  the  way,  Andreas  lead- 
ing some  little  distance  ahead. 

Suddenly  we  saw  him  halt,  turn  in  the  saddle,  hold 
up  a  hand  to  warn  us,  and  then  slip  from  his  horse  and 
lead  him  right  under  the  shadow  of  some  olive  trees. 
We  followed  his  example,  and  a  minute  later  he  came 
back  on  foot. 

"Soldiers,  on  the  road  down  there,"  he  whispered, 
pointing  ahead  of  us.  "  We  have  to  cross  the  road  and 
must  wait.  You  may  leave  your  horse,  senor,  he  is 
trained  like  the  rest,  and  will  stand  for  hours  if  need 
be.  We  can  creep  forward  and  watch  them." 


294   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

He  and  I  went  forward  then,  and  he  led  me  to  a 
point  from  which,  ourselves  unseen,  we  could  see  the 
road  below. 

"How  came  they  here?"  I  whispered,  "  so  close  to 
Calvarro's  ? " 

"  I  don't  understand  it  ;  but  they  are  not  on  the 
direct  road  there  ;  merely  patrolling,  I  think,  on 
chance." 

"  I  can  see  five,"  I  whispered  ;  "  how  many  do  you 
make  out  ? " 

"  There  are  seven  horses,  senor." 

"  By  heaven  !  you're  right.  Two  must  be  scouting 
on  foot.  And  there  go  two  more." 

The  party  had  halted,  and,  as  I  spoke,  two  of  the 
men  left  the  rest,  and,  clambering  over  a  gate  on  the 
other  side  of  the  road,  were  soon  out  of  sight  among 
the  shadows  of  a  grove  of  trees.  The  rest  dismounted 
then,  and,  holding  their  horses,  lighted  cigarettes  and 
stood  chatting  together. 

"  Can  you  hear  what  they're  saying,  Andreas  ? " 

"No,  senor;  but  we  ought  to  know  where  they're 
going.  I  can  get  close  down  to  them,  if  you  wish,  and 
may  be  able  to  hear  their  plans." 

"Yes,  go,  but  for  God's  sake  be  careful  ;  our  lives  or 
theirs  may  turn  on  what  you  do." 

Without  a  word  he  slipped  away  from  my  side,  and 
with  the  silence  and  adroitness  of  a  trained  Indian 
scout  he  vanished,  leaving  me  a  prey  to  deep  anxiety. 

I  watched  the  soldiers  in  the  road  below  in  a  fever 
of  suspense  for  any  sign  that  they  suspected  his  pres- 
ence ;  but  they  gave  none.  The  voices  reached  me  in 
an  indistinguishable  murmur,  broken  by  an  occasional 
laugh  and  an  oath  in  a  louder  tone.  Now  and  then  the 


A    CHECK  295 

horses  moved  and  the  accoutrements  rattled  and  jin- 
gled ;  and  once  or  twice  a  match  was  struck  as  some 
one  or  other  of  the  men  lighted  a  fresh  cigarette. 

This  suspense  continued  for  several  minutes,  and 
presently  two  of  the  soldiers  who  had  been  away  re- 
turned, and  were  greeted  with  eager  questions  by  their 
comrades. 

Then  a  new  fear  alarmed  me  :  that  scouts  would  be 
sent  up  to  where  we  lay  concealed ;  and  a  confused 
medley  of  thoughts  of  how  we  should  act  in  such  a  case 
and  of  the  possible  consequences  rushed  into  my  head, 
increasing  my  anxiety  and  alarm  a  thousandfold. 

It  was  the  fear  of  neither  capture  nor  death  that 
stirred  my  pulses  so  keenly.  We  were  strong  enough, 
having  the  advantage  of  surprise,  to  more  than  cope 
with  so  small  a  party.  But  if  the  tussle  came  and  any 
of  the  men  were  killed,  as  they  were  sure  to  be,  the 
consequences  to  Sarita  and  myself  would  be  incalcula- 
bly compromising.  If  I  was  to  have  help  from  the 
Palace,  I  must  be  able  to  ask  for  it  with  clean  hands  ; 
and  if  I  were  known  to  have  taken  part  in  a  fight  with 
the  soldiery  in  which  lives  were  lost,  my  hope  of  help 
would  be  gone. 

Moreover,  my  own  feeling  was  one  of  unutterable 
aversion  from  shedding  blood,  or  sanctioning  it  to  be 
shed.  Whatever  excuse  the  Carlists  might  have  in 
their  own  minds  for  violence,  I  had  none.  I  was  not 
one  of  them,  except  by  the  accident  of  this  association 
for  Sarita's  sake  ;  and  for  me  to  raise  my  hand  to  take 
a  man's  life  in  such  a  case  would  be  murder  and  noth- 
ing short  of  it. 

Many  thoughts  of  this  kind  beat  themselves  into  my 
brain  in  the  terrible  minutes  that  followed  the  return 


296   SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

of  the  two  scouts,  until  I  was  tempted  to  go  back  to  my 
companions  and  at  all  hazards  order  a  retreat  and  find 
some  other  plan  of  getting  to  Calvarro's  farm  and  to 
Sarita.  Had  Andreas  been  by  my  side  at  the  moment, 
I  should  have  done  it,  but  without  him  we  were  power- 
less ;  and  to  leave  him  behind  would  have  been  an  act 
of  treachery  and  cowardice  as  well  as  folly. 

Those  minutes  of  suspense  were  wellnigh  equal  in 
intensity  to  a  death  agony. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

AT    CALVARRO'S 

THE  tension  of  suspense  was  broken  at  length.     I 
caught  sight  of  the  figures  of  the  second  couple 
of  scouts  on  their    return    as  they   crossed   a 
patch  of  moonlight  at  a  little  distance,  and  almost  at 
the  same  moment  a  hand  was  laid  on  my  shoulder,  and 
the    lad    Andreas    stood   at   my    side.     He    came   as 
silently  as  a  shadow  out  of  the  darkness. 

"We  must  fly,  senor,  there  is  danger,"  he  whispered. 
"  They  will  send  out  other  scouts  in  this  direction  as 
soon  as  the  last  return.  But  I  can  trick  them." 

We  hurried  back  to  our  companions,  and  Andreas, 
holding  his  horse's  bridle,  led  the  way.  I  told  the  other 
two  to  follow,  and  myself  brought  up  the  rear,  glancing 
back  now  and  again  in  great  anxiety  lest  the  soldiers 
should  catch  sight  of  us.  But  the  lad  knew  his 
business,  and  a  sharp  turn  up  the  hillside  to  the  right 
brought  us  under  the  cover  of  a  wood,  and  gave  us  an 
effective  hiding-place. 

We  followed  him  in  silence,  and  even  the  horses 
seemed  to  share  a  sense  of  the  danger,  so  warily  did 
they  move.  They  were  indeed,  as  Andreas  had  said, 
perfectly  trained  animals;  and  to  that  training  we  owed 
our  safety  that  night. 

When  we  had  walked  on  this  way  some  few  hundred 
yards  up  the  hill,  our  guide  found  a  track  into  the  wood, 
and  along  this  we  went,  the  darkness  deepening  with 


SARITA,   THE    CARLIST 

every  step,  until  it  was  impenetrable.  We  were  some 
hundred  yards  from  the  entrance,  when  Andreas  stopped 
so  suddenly  that  we  ran  one  against  the  other  in  a 
confused  muddle  of  men  and  horses. 

"There  is  a  small  clearing  here  on  the  right,"  he  said 
in  a  whisper.  "  If  you  leave  your  horses  free  they  will 
follow  mine."  And  so  it  proved  ;  the  intelligent  beasts 
knew  his  voice,  and  went  after  him  with  a  sagacity  that 
astonished  and  delighted  me.  "  You  will  be  safe  here, 
I  think,  senor  ;  and,  with  your  permission,  I  will  go 
back  and  find  out  the  soldiers'  movements.  There  is 
no  risk  for  me.  But  please  do  not  touch  the  horses  ; 
they  will  not  be  got  to  move  without  trouble  until  I 
return,  and  will  stand  like  statues  until  I  tell  them  ; 
and,  remember,  voices  travel  far  in  such  a  still  air — 
even  whispers." 

I  told  him  to  go,  and  then  we  three  stood  together 
and  waited. 

"  What  are  we  to  do  if  they  find  us,  senor  ? "  asked 
Cabrera. 

"  Fight,"  I  said,  praying  fervently  there  would  be  no 
need. 

"  Good.     Knives,  Garcia,"  he  returned. 

"  And  till  then,  silence,"  I  ordered  :  and  not  another 
word  was  spoken. 

The  stillness  was  absolute,  and,  in  the  circumstances, 
awe-inspiring,  and  there  was  not  a  breath  of  air  to  stir 
even  a  leaf.  It  was  some  minutes  before  our  eyes  grew 
sufficiently  accustomed  to  the  darkness  to  discern  the 
moonlight  beyond  the  wood,  which  gleamed  dimly,  much 
like  a  phosphorescent  light,  through  the  thickly-planted 
trees.  Suddenly  the  stillness  was  broken  by  a  man's 
voice  laughing  and  oathing,  as  he  called  to  a  comrade. 


AT    CALVARRO'S         299 

We  all  three  started  and  drew  together  at  the  sudden 
sound,  so  keen  was  the  nerve  tension. 

"  Had  enough  of  this  tomfoolery  yet,  Juan  ?  Seen 
anything — where  there's  nothing  to  see  ?  " 

"  By  the  corpse  of  St.  Peter,  this  is  a  madman's  freak, 
looking  for  nothing.  I  go  no  further,  Jose,"  was  the 
reply.  "  Have  you  been  in  the  wood  ?" 

"  Yes  ;  all  the  wood  I'm  going  into.  We're  looking 
for  houses,  not  men  ;  and  shan't  find  'em  there.  Wait 
while  I  roll  a  cigarette,  and,  when  I've  smoked  it,  we'll 
go  back  and  report,"  and  we  heard  him  strike  a  match 
and  light  it. 

"  Here,  Jose*,  here's  a  path  into  the  cursed  darkness," 
called  his  comrade,  and  we  heard  the  twigs  snapping 
underneath  his  feet  as  he  blundered  about  in  the  under- 
growth. 

"  Let  it  stop,"  growled  the  other  man.  "  It  might 
be  the  pit  of  hell,  without  the  fire  to  guide  us." 

"  Holy  Saints.  I've  got  an  idea.  Suppose  we  set 
light  to  the  cursed  place,  and  then  swear  we  saw  some- 
one in  it,  and  fire  our  guns  and  bring  up  the  others.  It 
would  be  a  mighty  blaze,  and  we  might  get  a  step  for 
our  vigilance,"  and  the  scoundrel  laughed  and  swore  in 
unholy  glee. 

"  Hold  your  tongue,  idiot,"  said  his  companion, 
roughly.  "If  you  want  to  see  what's  in  the  wood  come 
with  me  along  the  path  here  ; "  and  to  our  consterna- 
tion we  heard  him  coming  towards  us. 

"  Knives,  Garcia,"  whispered  Cabrera,  and  I  felt 
them  both  loosen  the  knives  they  carried  concealed  in 
their  girdles.  The  faint  shadow  of  one  of  the  men 
showed  between  us  and  the  moon  gleams,  and  the  sound 
of  crackling  twigs  came  ominously  nearer. 


300   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"The  blight  of  hell  on  the  place,"  cried  the  same 
voice  suddenly,  with  a  sound  of  heavy  plunging  among 
the  shrubs,  and  the  thud  of  a  falling  body.  "  What  in 
the  devil's  name  was  that  ?  " 

His  comrade  laughed. 

"  Going  to  swim  through,  Jose"  ?  What  are  you 
doing  on  your  belly  like  that  ?  " 

"  I  tripped  over  some  infernal  animal,  or  stump,  or 
something,  and  struck  my  head  against  a  tree,  you 
fool." 

"  Serves  you  right  for  not  looking  where  you  are 
going.  Put  your  eyes  in  your  boots,  you  can't  see  else. 
Here,  wait  while  I  strike  a  light,  blockhead  ; "  and  he 
lit  a  match  and  bent  down  over  his  fallen  companion. 

"Shall  we  rush  on  them  now?"  asked  Garcia, 
trembling  with  excitement. 

"  No,  no,  wait,"  I  said,  laying  a  detaining  hand  on 
him. 

"  Why  you're  bleeding,  Jose,  man.  Fine  figure  you'll 
cut  on  parade,  with  a  black  eye  and  a  bloody  nose. 
Jose  Balso,  promoted  sergeant  for  gallantry  in  a  wood  ; 
scouting  for  nothing  and  finding  it  ;  fought  an  old  olive 
tree  and  fell  covered  with  wounds.  Here,  come  out  of 
this,  man  ;  I'm  going  back.  I've  had  enough  of  this 
foolery  ;  "  and  without  more  ado  he  went,  and  we 
heard  his  footsteps  die  away  in  the  distance.  His 
comrade,  growling  and  swearing  and  abusing  him, 
stumbled  to  his  feet  and  went  after  him,  staggering 
about  in  the  darkness  as  he  tried  to  follow  the  sound 
of  the  other  man's  calls. 

By  the  lucky  chance  of  his  fall  we  escaped,  and  I 
knew  peace  of  mind  once  more.  The  men  did  not  stay 
by  the  wood,  and  after  a  minute  or  so  we  heard  no 


AT    CALVARRO'S         301 

more  of  them  ;  and  Andreas  came  back  to  tell  us  they 
had  rejoined  the  rest  of  the  men,  and  all  had  mounted 
and  ridden  away  on  the  road  back  to  Daroca. 

I  told  him  of  the  narrow  escape  we  had  had  from 
discovery  and  then  he  surprised  us. 

"  I  did  it,  senor.  I  was  there  when  they  entered  the 
wood,  and  I  got  in  his  way  in  the  dark  and  tripped 
him  up  when  he  was  getting  dangerously  close." 

"  By  heavens,  but  you  are  as  brave  as  you  are  sharp, 
Andreas,"  I  said,  enthusiastically,  giving  him  my  hand. 
"  And  now  for  Calvarro's." 

We  continued  our  journey,  riding  with  the  greatest 
caution,  and  nothing  occurred  to  interrupt  us  again. 
But  the  unexpected  meeting  with  the  soldiers  had  ren- 
dered me  profoundly  uneasy,  and  very  doubtful  of  the 
safety  of  the  place.  This  evidence  that  they  were 
patrolling  and  scouting  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of 
Calvarro's  farm  was  very  disquieting  ;  and  even  the 
indifferent  way  in  which  the  soldiers  were  doing  the 
work  did  not  reassure  me. 

I  read  in  it  more  than  mere  chance  work  ;  for  it 
looked  much  more  likely  that  they  were  acting  upon 
information  that  some  good  hiding-places  for  the  Car- 
lists  were  in  the  neighbourhood.  The  remark  of  one 
of  the  pair — "  We're  looking  for  houses,  not  men  "— 
had  ominous  significance  in  this  respect.  They  were 
not  merely  patrolling  the  roads  in  search  of  me  and  my 
two  companions  in  response  to  messages  sent  by  Rubio 
from  Calatayud,  for  in  that  case  they  would  merely 
have  watched  the  roads  and  by-paths.  They  appeared 
to  be  one  of  a  thoroughly  organised  system  of  search 
parties  sent  out  to  scour  the  whole  country  side,  to 
find  all  the  possible  hiding-places  and  farms  in  the  dis- 


302   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

trict  where  any  Carlist  refugees  could  possibly  be 
hidden.  And  if  this  were  so,  it  seemed  to  me  so  im- 
probable as  to  be  virtually  impossible  for  Sarita's 
hiding-place  to  remain  long  undiscovered. 

And  this  brought  me  once  more  face  to  face  with  a 
host  of  disturbing  perplexities  as  to  her  and  my  future 
action.  To  remain  at  a  place  which  the  soldiers  were 
likely  to  find  was  to  plunge  her  into  the  almost  certain 
danger  of  arrest  ;  while  to  leave  it  in  the  attempt  to 
steal  into  Daroca  would,  if  the  attempt  were  successful, 
bring  me  into  still  more  imminent  peril  at  the,  hands  of 
the  Carlists  who  would,  unless  a  miracle  chanced,  dis- 
cover my  fraud.  The  dilemma  baffled  me. 

I  called  Andreas  to  my  side  and  explained  to  him 
fully  my  doubts  in  regard  to  the  soldiers'  movements, 
and  I  found  then  that  to  some  extent  he  shared  them, 
as  did  also  Cabrera.  But  the  latter  had  a  plan  of  his 
own  ready,  founded  on  what  I  had  said  previously. 

"  If  we  are  not  to  run  like  rabbits  all  over  the  country 
side  and  be  caught  or  shot  in  couples,  we  must  rally 
and  make  a  stand  somewhere,  senor.  Why  not  at  Cal- 
varro's  ?  The  house  could  be  held  for  a  long  time,  if  we 
can  only  get  a  handful  of  men  to  it.  I  own  I  don't  like 
these  soldiers  everywhere.  It  looks  to  me  as  if  the 
blow  had  fallen  at  Daroca,  and  we  were  too  late  to  do 
anything  there.  But  we  are  men,  I  hope,  and  can  fight 
and  die,  if  need  be,  like  men.  For  my  part  I'd  rather 
find  a  lodging  for  a  bullet  in  my  body  than  have  my 
whole  body  lodged  in  a  gaol  to  rot  there  until  the 
cursed  Government  chose  to  turn  merciful  and  let  me 
out.  To  hell  with  their  mercy,  say  I.  Give  me  the 
word  and  let  me  take  my  chance  of  getting  into  Daroca 
with  a  message  from  you  to  bring  help  to  Calvarro's, 


AT    CALVARRO'S         303 

and  I'll  do  it  and  be  back  before  the  soldiers  can  find 
the  place,  or  finding  it,  can  smoke  you  out  of  it." 

"  Your  life  would " 

"  I'll  chance  my  life,"  he  burst  in,  impatiently.  "  I 
beg  your  pardon,  senor  ;  but  there  are,  or  were,  plenty 
in  Daroca  who  are  of  my  mind,  and  would  a  thousand 
times  rather  fight  than  go  on  manifestoeing  and  schem- 
ing and  fooling  the  time  and  the  opportunity  away. 
For  the  Holy  Virgin's  sake  let  some  of  us  do  some- 
thing like  men.  One  good  rally,  and  who  knows  but 
the  fire  will  be  kindled  that  will  rage  all  over  Spain  ?  It 
will  be  the  beacon  which  thousands  of  eyes  are  asking 
to  see  and  thousands  of  hearts  will  welcome." 

"  I'm  with  Cabrera,  senor,"  said  Garcia.  "  Let  us 
go  to  the  town  and  bring  out  our  friends.  If  we  fail, 
well,  we  fail — but  we  shall  at  least  have  tried,  while 

now "  and  he  shrugged  his  shoulders  and  ended  with 

a  sneer :  "  We  might  be  children  or  Government  men." 

Had  I  been  one  of  them  in  reality,  the  plan  was  just 
what  I  would  have  welcomed  ;  but  as  it  was,  I  could 
not  counsel  it  and  give  my  voice  for  fighting. 

"  No,  not  yet.  We  must  wait  and  hear  first,  if  we 
can,  from  Juan  how  things  have  gone  in  Daroca." 

"  Aye,  aye,  wait,  wait,  always  wait,  till  the  soldiers 
have  time  to  get  their  firing  platoons  in  position,  and 
we  can  be  shot  like  worn-out  mules  instead  of  fighting 
like  men,"  growled  Cabrera,  gloomily  ;  and  he  and  Gar- 
cia turned  to  grumble  in  sympathy,  while  I  rode  on. 

When  we  were  quite  close  to  Calvarro's — a  place 
that  lay  indeed  most  marvellously  concealed — and 
were  approaching  the  farm  by  a  path  cunningly  masked 
through  a  dense  olive  wood,  a  lad  sprang  out  of  the 
undergrowth  and  called  to  Andreas. 


3o4   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"  Juan  is  here,  senor,"  he  said  ;  and  the  boy,  some 
two  years  younger  than  his  brother  and  much  resem- 
bling him,  came  to  me.  "  Tell  the  senor  the  news  in 
Daroca,  Juan." 

"  It  is  of  the  worst,  senor.  Soon  after  midday  the 
soldiers  began  to  pour  into  the  town  from  Saragossa, 
and  special  train  after  special  train  came  loaded  with 
them.  They  are  everywhere  ;  every  house  in  the  town 
has  been  searched;  and  they  tell  me  hundreds  of  prison- 
ers have  been  hurried  away  by  train  to  Saragossa. 
Every  road  into  the  town  is  alive  with  soldiers,  and 
search  parties  are  spreading  out  everywhere  in  all  di- 
rections. The  house  of  every  suspected  person  is  in 
the  hands  of  the  soldiers  or  the  police  ;  and  everywhere 
I  heard  stories  of  arms,  papers,  and  property  which 
have  been  seized." 

"  We  are  too  late,"  exclaimed  Cabrera.  "  The  only 
chance  will  be  to  rally  here,  senor.  It  must  be." 

"  Where  is  the  senorita  ?  "  I  asked  the  lad,  unable  to 
restrain  my  anxiety  any  longer  ;  and  I  felt  that  the 
eagerness  in  my  voice  was  very  patent.  When  he 
told  me,  to  my  infinite  relief,  that  she  was  in  the  house, 
a  fervent  "  God  be  thanked  for  that  !  "  burst  from  me, 
and  turning  I  found  Cabrera's  eyes  fixed  upon  me 
searchingly. 

"  So  that's  it,"  he  growled,  half  under  his  breath,  and 
he  and  Garcia  whispered  for  a  moment  together.  "  Your 
pardon,  senor,"  he  said  aloud  to  me,  and  waved  the  boys 
out  of  hearing.  "  Stand  back  a  bit,  lads.  The  senorita 
is  much  to  us  all,  senor,  but  the  cause  is  more  than  any 
one  of  us — more  than  even  her  safety.  Our  master 
first,  ourselves  after,  is  the  rule  ;  and  in  this  crisis,  the 
cause  before  all  else.  We  must  make  the  rally  here,  or 


AT    CALVARRO'S         305 

all  will  be  lost — so  Garcia  and  I  are  agreed — and  that 
cannot  be." 

"  Do  you  think  there's  a  chance  of  holding  a  place 
like  this  against  half-a-dozen  regiments  ?  Are  you  mad  ? 
Why  the  place  would  be  tumbling  about  our  ears  in 
half-an-hour,  and  every  soul  inside  would  be  either  cap- 
tured or  killed." 

"  And  how  could  we  die  better  ?  Your  pardon  if  I 
speak  bluntly  and  my  words  offend  you,  but  anyone 
whose  motive  is  what  yours  is  may  be  forgiven  if  his 
judgment  goes  astray.  A  man  with  his  heart  in  a 
woman's  heart  makes  an  ill  counsellor.  You  are  right 
in  your  way  to  think  first  of  the  safety  of  the  woman 
you  love  ;  but  this  is  no  woman's  matter.  The  thought 
of  the  senorita  in  peril  of  her  life  robs  you  of  the  power 
to  think  freely — we  are  all  like  that  at  such  a  time  ; 
but  I  for  one  can't  let  it  influence  me  now.  I'm  going 
to  the  town,  and  Garcia  with  me  ;  and,  with  the  Virgin's 
help,  we'll  rally  enough  to  make  a  stand  here.  And  if 
you're  afraid  for  her,  get  her  away  before  we  return." 

I  liked  him  for  his  blunt  outspokenness,  and  felt  like 
a  traitor  as  I  gripped  his  hand  and  wrung  it. 

"  You  have  heard  Juan's  news,  and  you  go  on  a  hope- 
less quest,  friend.  I  cannot  leave  the  senorita." 

"  Get  her  away  before  we're  back — if  you  can,  that  is; 
for,  like  you,  I'd  sooner  she  was  out  of  such  a  scene  as, 
please  the  Saints,  shall  make  the  name  of  Calvarro's 
farm  ring  through  Spain  ;  aye,  and  that  before  morning 
breaks,  maybe." 

"I  fear  the  soldiers  will  be  here  before  you  can  re- 
turn," I  said,  eager  to  get  them  both  gone,  and  yet  loth 
to  lose  their  help  in  case  of  need.  In  fact  I  was  so  dis- 
tracted by  my  double  set  of  anxieties  I  scarcely  knew 
what  to  say  or  do. 


306   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"  That  must  be  your  risk  and  hers,  senor.  Save  her 
if  you  can  ;  but  if  you  can't,  then  God's  will  be  done." 

"  I  would  rather  you  stayed  in  case  of  need,"  I  said 
then,  weakly. 

"  So  that  we  three  and  the  senorita  be  caught  like 
rats  in  a  trap  ;  "  and  he  smiled  at  my  weakness.  "  No, 
no,  if  the  soldiers  get  here  before  we  are  strong  enough 
in  numbers  to  hold  the  place,  the  fewer  they  find  the 
better.  Good-bye,  senor,  and  the  Saints  protect  you 
both.  Here,  Andreas,"  he  called,  and  gave  him  his  in- 
structions, that  one  of  the  lads  should  lead  him  and 
Garcia  the  nearest  and  safest  way  to  the  town,  and 
the  other  remain  in  readiness  to  give  warning  on  his 
return  if  the  soldiers  came  there  ;  and  having  given  me 
a  final  pressure  of  the  hand  he  and  Garcia  rode  off  on 
their  desperate  business  and  were  soon  out  of  sight. 

I  gazed  after  them  in  a  mood  of  almost  desperate  in- 
decision ;  even  then  half-minded  to  call  them  back, 
risk  everything,  and  bid  them  wait  while  I  called  out 
Sarita  and  joined  them  on  the  journey  to  the  town. 
But  the  mood  and  the  moment  passed.  I  let  them  go. 
Their  horses'  footfalls  died  away  in  the  distance  ;  and 
swinging  myself  from  the  saddle,  I  followed  Juan  to  the 
door  of  the  house,  on  which  he  knocked,  three  times  a 
soft  double  knock. 

An  old  woman  opened  it,  holding  a  candle  over  her 
head,  and  peering  curiously  and  cautiously  at  me. 

"  Is  all  well,  Juan  ?"  she  asked  in  a  deep  voice. 

"All  is  well,  Mother  Calvarro,"  answered  the  boy. 

"  The  senor  is  welcome,"  and  she  made  way  for  me 
to  enter. 

"  Shall  I  stop  outside,  senor  ? "  asked  the  boy. 

"  And  use  your  eyes  like  a  lynx,  my  lad,  and  warn  us 
instantly  of  anything  you  notice." 


AT    CALVARRO'S         307 

The  old  crone  closed  the  door  carefully  after  him, 
and  then  holding  the  candle  near  my  face,  she  said  : 

"  Counting  all  renegades,  senor  ?  " 

"  Lovers  of  Satan.  By  the  Grace  of  God,  Mother 
Calvarro,"  and  I  doffed  my  hat. 

"  By  the  Grace  of  God,"  she  repeated,  fervently. 
"  And  your  name,  senor  ?" 

"  Is  my  own,  Mother.  I  would  see  the  senorita  at 
once,"  I  said,  putting  a  note  of  authority  into  my  voice. 

"She  is  broken  by  the  ill-news  that  Juan  brought. 
Truly  a  day  of  woe.  The  Holy  Virgin  save  us  and  pro- 
tect us  all,"  and  she  raised  her  disengaged  hand,  sighed 
heavily,  turned  and  shuffled  slowly  along  the  narrow 
bare-walled  passage,  pausing  at  a  door.  "  Shall  I  tell 
her  of  your  coming  ?  " 

"  Better  not,"  I  replied,  and  as  she  opened  the  door, 
I  entered,  my  heart  beating  quickly. 

It  was  a  low  farmhouse  room,  very  barely  furnished  ; 
wooden  chairs  and  a  bare  wooden  table  on  which  stood 
a  candle  that  flickered  feebly  in  the  gust  of  air  caused 
by  the  opening  door. 

Near  the  window  and  against  the  wall  was  a  long 
wooden  bench  with  arms,  and  on  this,  her  head  bowed 
on  her  hands  which  rested  on  one  of  the  hard  wooden 
arms,  was  Sarita,  crouching  in  an  attitude  of  deep  de- 
spondency. 

She  did  not  lift  her  head  at  my  entrance,  thinking  no 
doubt  it  was  the  woman  of  the  house. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

THE  PLEA  OF  LOVE 

THE  sight  of  Sarita  crushed  down  in  this  way  by 
the  load  of  her  hopeless  trouble  was  the  most 
sorrowful  my  eyes  had  ever  beheld.  Knowing 
as  I  did  her  great  strength,  her  buoyant  confidence, 
her  intense  pride,  her  indomitable  courage,  I  could 
gauge  the  force  of  the  blow  that  had  cast  her  down, 
and  the  depth  of  the  bitterness  of  this  hour  of  suffering. 

For  a  while  I  gazed  at  her,  almost  ashamed  that  I 
had  thus  broken  in  upon  her.  Then  a  world  of  intense 
sympathy  welled  up  from  my  heart,  an  infinite  remorse 
even  that  in  a  measure  I  had  helped  to  strike  her  down 
by  my  rescue  of  the  young  King,  and  an  overpowering 
desire  to  take  some  of  the  burden  upon  myself ;  and 
my  love  for  her  came  to  my  rescue  and  prompted  me 
how  to  act. 

I  went  forward  swiftly  and  knelt  down  by  the  settle. 

"  Sarita,  it  is  I.  Let  me  help  you,  my  dearest ;  " 
and  I  put  my  arm  about  her.  "  I  have  come  to  help 
you,  Sarita,  with  my  life  if  need  be." 

At  the  sound  of  my  voice  and  the  touch  of  my  hand 
she  started  violently,  lifted  her  face,  dry-eyed  but  all 
worn  and  white  with  pain,  gazed  at  me  a  second,  and 
then  jumped  to  her  feet,  and  seemed  as  if  about  to 
repudiate  my  proffered  sympathy. 

"  Ferdinand  !  "     Eyes  and  voice  and  face  were  full 


THE    PLEA   OF   LOVE     309 

of  intense  surprise  ;  and  as  I  rose  quickly  to  my  feet,  she 
stepped  back,  and  cried,  "  Why  are  you  here  ?  " 

"  I  love  you,  my  dearest ;  where  else  should  I  be  but 
with  you — now?"  and  I  took  her  hands  and  held  them 
firmly. 

She  tried  to  draw  back,  and  would  have  struggled 
against  her  love,  it  seemed  ;  but  love  and  the  woman  in 
her  would  not  be  denied,  and  in  this  crisis  of  her  sor- 
row she  yielded  to  my  will,  and  let  me  draw  her  to  me. 

Her  head  fell  on  my  shoulder.  For  the  moment  at 
any  rate  the  victory  was  mine,  and  I  felt  with  a  rare 
sense  of  delight  that  she  was  glad  I  had  come  to  her, 
and  that  I  was  giving  her  strength  in  her  weakness. 

I  did  not  attempt  to  speak.  It  was  enough  to  have 
her  once  more  in  my  arms,  to  feel  that  I  was  a  comfort 
to  her,  that  her  love  had  triumphed  over  all  else  in  that 
dread  dreary  time  ;  and  I  waited  while  by  slow  degrees 
she  battled  with  her  emotion  and  fought  her  way  back 
to  self-strength. 

Once  in  the  long,  sweet  suspense  of  that  battle  she 
raised  her  head,  looked  at  me  and  smiled — a  sorrow- 
laden,  anxious,  wan  smile — as  if  in  deprecation  of  her 
own  weakness  and  of  her  woman's  need  for  aid  and 
sympathy.  Then  her  head  sank  again  on  my  breast 
with  a  sigh  of  infinite  content,  such  as  might  have 
slipped  from  the  lips  of  a  tired  and  overwrought  child. 

The  sound  was  music  in  my  ears,  for  it  told  me  how 
for  the  moment  at  least  my  coming  had  eased  her 
misery. 

At  length  she  began  to  stir  again  in  my  arms  ;  not 
away  from  them,  I  thanked  Heaven,  but  as  though 
the  sense  of  relieved  happiness  was  passing,  and  the 
thoughts  of  trouble  were  gathering  force  again. 


310  SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

"  I  am  shamed,  Ferdinand,"  she  murmured. 

"  I  love  you,  sweetheart,"  was  my  whispered  reply. 

"  How  did  you  come  here,  and  alone  ? "  she  asked 
next,  after  a  pause,  "  You  have  caught  me  in  my  mo- 
ment of  weakness." 

"  I  will  tell  you  all  presently,"  I  said.  "  I  have  come 
to  help  you.  Wait." 

But  her  curiosity  was  rising  as  her  composure  re- 
turned. 

"  Tell  me  now." 

"  I  knew  you  would  be  in  trouble,  dearest,  and  I  fol- 
lowed you." 

"But  how  did  you  find  me?"  and  then  a  great  and 
sudden  change  came  over  her.  "  What  am  I  doing  ?  I 
am  mad,"  she  cried  in  a  quick  tone  of  alarm  ;  and 
drawing  swiftly  from  my  arms  she  stood,  my  hands 
still  holding  hers,  and  looked  at  me  with  fear  in  her 
face.  "  You  must  not  stay  here.  You  are  in  danger, 
Ferdinand.  There  are  those  coming  here,  will  be  here 
instantly  may  be,  who  will  know  you  and — oh  God,  what 
shall  we  do  ?  they  will  kill  you." 

The  fear  was  for  me,  and  had  quickened  her  into  ac- 
tive thought,  as  no  fear  for  herself  had  done.  I 
guessed  her  meaning  instinctively,  and  allayed  the  fear. 

"  No,  there  is  no  danger.  You  mean  the  two  men, 
Cabrera  and  Garcia.  I  came  here  with  them,  and 
Cabrera  himself  urged  me,  in  his  last  words,  to  try  and 
save  you." 

"  But  they — I  can't  understand.  How  could  that 
be  ?  "  she  cried,  her  face  a  mask  of  perplexity. 

"  Simply  as  I  say.  I  recognised  them,  but  they  did 
not  recognise  me.  I  made  myself  known  to  them — as 
Ferdinand  Carbonnell — in  the  train  ;  we  escaped  from 


THE    PLEA    OF    LOVE      311 

it  together  at  Calatayud,  and  together  we  have  ridden 
here.  We  were  going  to  Daroca,  when  we  heard  that 
you  were  here,  and  that  the  roads  were  blocked  with 
troops,  and  we  came  here." 

"You  were  going  to  Daroca?  Are  you  mad,  too, 
Ferdinand  ? " 

"  Mad,  if  you  will  ;  or  very  sane,  as  I  prefer.  I  was 
going  to  find  you,  Sarita.  Do  you  think  anything 
would  have  stopped  me?  I  went  where  love  called 
me." 

"  But  nothing  could  have  saved  your  being  discovered 
— nothing — and  your  death  would  have  been  certain. 
This  was  rank  madness." 

"  Had  I  not  heard  you  were  here,  I  should  have  been 
in  Daroca  at  this  minute,  searching  for  you,  Sarita." 

Her  hands  tightened  on  mine,  and  her  eyes  were  full 
of  pain  ;  but  their  light  changed  suddenly  and  grew 
radiant,  and  the  soft  colour  streamed  over  her  face. 

"  And  you  love  me  so  well  as  that  ? "  The  question, 
the  tone,  the  love  in  her  eyes,  the  wondrous  magic  of 
her  beauty,  thrilled  my  every  nerve  and  set  my  heart 
pulsing  with  passion  ;  and  for  answer  I  drew  her,  now 
unresisting,  to  me,  and  pressed  my  lips  to  hers. 

"You  love  me,  dear  one?"  I  whispered,  passion- 
ately, like  a  child  in  my  longing  to  hear  an  avowal  from 
her  lips.  She  seemed  to  read  the  thought,  and,  putting 
an  arm  on  each  shoulder,  she  looked  up  and  smiled. 

"  Is  this  the  garb  of  hate,  Ferdinand  ?  "  she  asked  ; 
then  sighed  and  said  gently,  "  If  I  do  not  love  you,  then 
am  I  really  mad  ;  and  yet  what  is  it  but  madness  for  us 
to  talk  of  love  ?  See  !  I  kiss  you  of  my  own  will — will, 
do  I  say  ? — of  my  own  intense  desire  ;  "  and  reaching  up 
she  kissed  me  tenderly,  half  coyly  ;  but  growing 


312    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

suddenly  bolder,  closed  her  arms  about  my  neck  and 
pressed  my  face  to  hers,  kissing  me  many  times  with 
feverish,  passionate,  intense  fervour.  "And  if  it  be 
madness  to  love  you,  then,  dearest,  there  was  never  so 
mad  a  heart  and  brain  as  mine.  You  make  me  burn 
out  all  else  in  the  world  when  you  kindle  the  flame  of 
this  love  of  mine."  She  drew  back  again  and  looked  at 
me.  "  And  I  thought  and  meant  never  to  see  you  again. 
What  a  creature  of  feebleness  this  love  makes  me !  " 

"We  will  never  part  again,  Sarita,"  I  said,  fervently. 

"  Ah,  that  is  different,  that  is  all  different ;  "  and  she 
unlocked  her  arms  and  fell  away  a  pace,  but  I  caught  her 
hands  again  and  held  them. 

"  We  will  never  part  again,"  I  repeated  earnestly. 
"  You  will  let  me  save  you.  I  can  do  it.  I  have  come 
to  do  it." 

"  How  can  you  save  me  ?  Can  you  save  me  from 
myself  ?  Would  you  tear  me  from  my  duty  ?  Do  you 
know  what  has  happened  ?  Ah,  Ferdinand,  when  you 
make  me  think  of  aught  else  but  our  love,  you  force 
into  my  mind  the  barriers  that  stand  between  us." 

"  There  shall  be  no  barriers  that  can  keep  me  from 
you  ?  Yes,  I  know  much  of  what  has  happened.  I 
know  that  by  Quesada's  treachery  this  whole  movement, 
on  which  you  have  built  so  much  and  laboured  so  hard, 
has  collapsed  like  a  house  of  cards.  I  know  that 
through  some  treachery  he  had  learned  how  matters 
stood  in  Daroca,  and  that  his  iron  hand  has  closed  on 
the  place,  and  every  hope  you  could  have  had  there  is 
crushed  and  ruined.  And  I  know,  too,  that  your  only 
hope — as  it  is  the  only  hope  of  any  one  of  those  whom 
he  has  duped — lies  in  flight.  It  is  not  too  late  for  that, 
Sarita.  But  it  is  the  only  hope." 


THE    PLEA    OF   LOVE      313 

"  It  is  the  hope  I  can  never  grasp.  Ask  me  anything 
but  that — anything  but  the  cowardice  of  flight.  If  the 
people  who  have  trusted  and  followed  me  are  in  this 
plight,  can  I  leave  them  ?  Would  you  wish  your  secret 
heart  to  be  ever  whispering  to  you,  '  Sarita  was  true  to 
her  love,  but  false  to  her  courage,  a  traitor  to  her 
honour,  a  deserter  of  her  friends  in  trouble  '  ?  Is  that 
your  ideal  of  the  woman  who  would  be  worthy  of  your 
love?  Would  you  do  it  were  my  case  yours,  and  you 
had  led  these  people  into  the  slough  of  ruin  ?  Would 
your  ears  be  deaf  to  their  cries  from  behind  the  prison 
bars — wives  calling  for  their  husbands,  husbands  for 
their  wives,  children  for  their  parents — aye,  and  widows 
mourning  for  their  dead  ?" 

"  This  is  not  your  work,  Sarita ;  it  is  Quesada's 
doing." 

"  And  should  they  say — ah,  dearest,  how  it  pains  me 
now  to  say  it ! — '  Sarita  ruined  us,  and  then  fled — for 
what  ? — to  marry  the  man  who  ruined  all  by  thwarting 
the  one  means  that  could  alone  have  saved  everything  ; 
by  saving  the  usurper  whose  tyrant  agents  have  wrought 
this  havoc '  ?  Can  you  save  me  from  that  !  " 

"  It  is  not  you,  but  Quesada,"  I  cried  again.  "  I  tell 
you,  as  I  have  told  you  again  and  again,  all  this  was 
planned  and  in  readiness.  Do  you  think  that  this  raid 
on  Daroca,  with  all  the  special  knowledge  shown  in  it  of 
the  Carlist  plans  there,  with  all  the  wide  and  detailed 
arrangements  for  police  and  military  movements,  with 
its  swift  and  dramatic  action,  was  the  work  of  a  moment  ? 
And  not  in  Daroca  only,  but  in  every  centre  where  you 
were  strong.  In  Saragossa,  Alicante,  right  up  the  sea- 
board even  to  Barcelona,  and  inland  to  every  spot  where 
you  were  in  strength.  Sarita,  listen  to  reason.  You 


3i4   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

were  but  as  a  child  in  his  strong,  ruthless  hands.  It  was 
his  scheme  to  use  you  Carliststo  get  the  King  removed 
from  his  path,  and  then  crush  the  life  out  of  your  whole 
Carlist  movement,  even  as  jhe  is  doing  at  this  hour,  that 
there  might  be  none  to  stand  between  him  and  the  power 
at  which  his  ambition  aimed.  The  plans  were  laid  weeks 
and  probably  months  ahead.  His  spies  and  agents 
have  been  everywhere,  even  in  your  midst,  working, 
prying,  scheming,  and  so  getting  together  the  informa- 
tion that  has  made  this  day's  work  possible." 

"  Then,  if  I  have  been  the  dupe,  I  must  suffer  the 
dupe's  fate.  I  cannot  fly.  No,  no,  Ferdinand,"  she 
cried  with  reviving  energy.  "  Let  us  face  the  full  truth. 
Our  love  must  be  strong  enough  to  bear  the  strain  of 
truth.  Between  us  there  stand  two  bars:  my  duty  to 
my  friends,  and — I  must  say  it,  dearest — your  act  in 
rescuing  the  young  King.  Even  if  it  be  true  that 
Quesada  has  aimed  all  through  at  our  destruction,  how 
can  that  make  your  act  less  a  betrayal  of  us  Carlists  ? 
He  was  in  our  power,  you  took  him  from  us  ;  what 
question  of  Quesada's  treachery  can  alter  that  fact,  or 
wipe  it  away  ?  Nothing.  Nothing  can  alter  it.  Nothing 
could  make  me  leave  my  people  to  be  happy  with  you, 
with  that  fact  between  us.  In  truth,  I  am  almost  dis- 
tracted when  I  think  of  it." 

"Will  not  your  love  lead  you  to  pardon  me  and 
forget  it  ? " 

"  The  woman  in  me  throbs  with  desire  to  do  so,  but — 
I  am  a  Carlist,  too,  dearest  ;  and  the  Carlist  in  me  can 
neither  pardon  nor  forget.  You  break  my  heart  by  this 
pleading.  Will  you  believe  I  can  never  alter,  and 
speak  no  more  of  it  ?  I  do  love  you  ;  the  Holy  Virgin 
knows  that  in  my  woman's  heart  there  is  no  room  for 


THE   PLEA   OF   LOVE     315 

thought  of  another  man  but  you.  Dearest,  ever  to  be 
dearest  to  me,  you  believe  this  ? "  and  she  again  put  her 
arms  about  me,  and  lifted  her  face  to  mine. 

"  I  know  it,  Sarita,"  I  answered,  infinitely  moved. 

"  Then  you  will  know  something  of  what  I  suffer  in 
parting  from  you.  Life  would  be  so  welcome,  such 
sunshine,  such  glorious  happiness  for  me  by  your  side, 
that  the  shadows  of  the  thought  that  it  can  never  be 
chill  and  gloom  and  almost  frighten  me  with  their  deso- 
lateness.  But  our  love  can  never  be  more  than  a 
memory,  my  dearest ;  to  be  cherished  as  the  one  lovely 
thing  of  my  life,  the  one  consolation  in  my  pain  ;  but 
no  more.  You  must  leave  me,  and  at  once.  There 
must  be  danger  for  you  here,  whatever  happens. 
Whether  my  friends  or  my  enemies  come,  there  must  be 
danger  for  you.  Let  me  be  able  to  think  that  at  least 
to  you  I  have  not  brought  ruin.  Go  back  to  Madrid  ; 
you  will  be  safe  there,  for  you  are  great  enough  now,  as 
an  English  peer,  to  be  free  from  danger  ;  and  even  if 
they  try  to  arrest  you,  you  have  the  Court  to  help  you  ; 
the  young  King  and  the  Queen.  My  ambition,  my  care, 
my  patriotism,  have  been  so  fatal  to  those  who  have 
trusted  me  ;  let  not  my  love  be  equally  fatal.  Leave  me 
that  one  solace.  Go,  Ferdinand  ;  go  and  leave  me.  I 
beg  of  you,  I  implore  you  by  the  love  you  have  for  me." 

"  You  must  not  ask  that,  Sarita." 

"  I  do  ask  ;  nay,  I  will  not  have  it  otherwise.  It 
must  not  be.  You  shall  not  stay  here.  The  thought 
of  what  would  happen  if  my  friends  came  back  and 
knew  you  were  not  of  us,  drives  me  mad.  You  must 
go.  Ferdinand,  dearest,  you  must." 

"  I  do  not  fear  your  friends,  Sarita ;  they  will  not 
harm  me.  I  am  Ferdinand  Carbonnell,  and  known  al- 


316   SARITA,    THE   CARLIST 

ready  to  some  of  them  as  the  Carlist  leader ;  and  the 
Carlist  leader  I  will  be  to  the  end.  You  cannot  come 
with  me,  you  say  ;  you  cannot  desert  your  friends. 
As  you  will.  Then  I  stay  with  you,  and  become  one  of 
you.  To  me  the  world  is  nothing  without  you.  You 
tell  me  I  have  lost  you  because  of  what  I  did  against 
you  in  taking  the  young  King  away.  So  be  it.  I  will 
win  you  back  again  by  what  I  can  do  for  your  cause." 

"  No,  no  ;  it  is  impossible.  It  is  madness.  You  are 
not  of  us,  and  must  not  do  this." 

"  I  will  do  no  less,  Sarita.  Cabrera  and  Garcia  have 
gone  to  the  town  in  the  desperate  hope  of  getting  to- 
gether a  sufficient  number  of  comrades  to  return  and 
make  a  last  stand  here  for  your  cause.  I  urged  them 
against  the  attempt  ;  but  I  am  glad  of  it  now.  It  will 
give  me  the  chance  I  need  ;  and,  my  word  on  it,  they 
shall  not  find  me  less  staunch  than  the  rest  of  you. 
God  knows  your  cause  never  stood  in  direr  need  of  re- 
cruits than  now  ;  and  I'll  be  one." 

"  You  are  cruel.  You  will  kill  me,"  she  cried  ;  and 
urged  me  with  entreating  and  fervent  prayers  to  alter 
my  decision,  and  make  my  escape  ;  but  I  would  not 
yield. 

"  If  you  will  go  with  me,  I  will  go  ;  but  if  you  stay, 
I  stay,"  I  said  again  and  again.  From  that  I  would 
not  be  moved  ;  and  she  was  protesting,  urging,  and 
entreating,  and  I  refusing,  when  someone  knocked 
hurriedly  at  the  door,  and  the  lad  Juan  rushed  in,  fol- 
lowed closely  by  the  old  woman. 

"A  party  of  soldiers  have  found  the  house,  senor. 
They  are  coming  to  surround  it.  There  is  yet  a  mo- 
ment to  fly,  if  you  will  come  at  once,"  he  cried,  ex- 
citedly. 


THE    PLEA   OF   LOVE     317 

"  The  senor  will  fly,  Juan.  You  can  get  him  away. 
You  must  go  instantly,"  exclaimed  Sarita. 

"  You  will  come  with  me.     I  will  go  then." 

She  looked  at  me  earnestly  and  imploringly. 

"  For  the  Holy  Mother's  sake,  save  yourself,"  she 
cried,  in  a  voice  of  pain. 

"  If  you  will  come,  yes.  If  you  will  not  come,  no. 
Where  you  are,  I  stay,  Sarita." 

The  old  woman  and  the  lad  stood  staring  at  us  in 
dismay. 

"  Come,  senor,  come,"  he  said. 

"  We  are  not  going,  Juan,"  I  answered,  quietly  ;  and 
Sarita  put  her  hands  to  her  face  distractedly,  and  then 
she  cried  again  impulsively — 

"Oh,  you  must  go.     You  must  go." 

"  Come,  then,"  and,  grasping  her  hand,  I  led  her 
toward  the  door. 

"  Quick,  senor,  quick,"  said  the  boy  again. 

"Quick,  Sarita,"  I  repeated.  "Every  moment  lost 
may  be  fatal." 

"  I  will  go.  Yes,  I  will  go.  Quick,  Mother  Calvarro, 
my  things  ; "  and,  smiling  to  me  with  every  sign  of  agi- 
tation, she  took  them  from  the  old  woman's  hand.  "It 
is  for  your  sake,"  she  whispered,  as  we  hurried  out  into 
the  passage. 

But  the  chance  .was  lost.  We  had  delayed  too  long. 
Outside,  the  sound  of  horses'  feet,  the  clang  of  arms, 
and  the  jingle  of  bits,  told  us  the  soldiers  were  there  at 
the  door  already,  and  a  strong  voice  uttered  a  word  of 
command. 

"  This  way,  senor,  by  the  back,"  cried  Juan  ;  and  he 
darted  down  the  passage,  and  opened  the  door.  But  as 
he  did  so  we  heard  a  man's  gruff  voice,  followed  by  a 


318   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

heavy  step,  as  a  soldier  entered.  At  the  same  moment 
a  loud  knock,  as  from  the  butt  end  of  a  musket,  sounded 
on  the  front  door,  and  a  stern  voice  demanded  admit- 
tance. 

"  It  is   too  late,  Sarita,"  I  said,  quietly.     "We  will 
wait  for  them  in  the  room  there  ; "  and  I  led  her  back. 


CHAPTER    XXVII 

SARITA    HEARS  THE  TRUTH 

SARITA  went  to  her  old  place  on  the  settle,  where 
I  had  found  her  so  disconsolate  on  my  arrival, 
and  I  stood  nearer  the  door,  which  purposely  I 
left  ajar  that  I  might  hear  what  passed.  She  was  pale, 
but  quite  calm,  and  her  only  sign  of  agitation  was  when 
she  whispered  to  me,  with  a  gesture  of  regret — 

"  You  should  have  gone,  Ferdinand.  I  have  brought 
this  upon  you." 

"  Nothing  has  happened  yet.  They  may  not  know 
us,"  I  said,  in  reply  ;  and  was  in  the  act  of  whispering 
a  further  word  of  reassurance,  when  I  stopped  and 
started,  held  silent  by  surprise  at  recognising  the  voice 
of  the  questioning  soldier. 

"  Is  this  Calvarro's  farm  ? " 

Sarita  recognised  it  too,  and  with  a  quick  catch  of 
alarm  she  said — 

"  It  is  Colonel  Livenza,  Ferdinand.  You  are  lost. 
Holy  Mother  have  pity  on  us  !  how  can  he  have  come 
here?" 

"More  treachery  probably,  somewhere,"  I  replied, 
with  an  inward  curse  at  the  mischance  ;  but  then  a 
thought  occurred  to  me.  There  was  a  cupboard  close 
to  the  door,  and  whispering  hurriedly  to  Sarita,  "  Not 
a  word  to  him  of  me  ;  I  believe  I  can  save  us  ;  "  I  went 
into  it,  and  closed  the  door  upon  myself. 


320   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

Meanwhile  the  colloquy  at  the  front  door  was  pro- 
ceeding. 

"  Yes,  senor,  I  am  the  Mother  Calvarro.  Does  your 
Excellency  want  provisions  for  your  men,  or  forage  for 
the  horses  ?  " 

"  No.  I  want  the  Carlists  you  have  hidden  in  the 
house  here." 

"  Carlists  ?  I  don't  understand  your  Excellency. 
We  are  no  Carlists  here,  but  simple  farming  folk,  and 
for  the  King,  God  bless  him,"  said  the  old  crone. 

"  Aye,  King.  I  know  your  jargon.  Which  King  ? 
You're  near  enough  to  the  grave,  I  should  have 
thought,  to  speak  the  truth,"  answered  the  bully, 
roughly. 

"  Your  Excellency  can  speak  freely.  I  am  an  old 
woman,  and  have  none  to  protect  me  here,"  was  the 
retort,  quietly  spoken. 

"  My  men  will  search  the  house ;  and  look  you,  it 
will  pay  you  best  to  help,  not  hinder  us." 

"  I  am  too  old  either  to  help  or  hinder.  Do  your 
will." 

"Who  is  in  your  house?  Answer  plainly,  and  with 
no  more  sneering,"  he  said,  in  a  truculent  voice. 

"  The  house  is  small  to  search  ;  and  there  is  none  to 
resist." 

"  Well,  no  matter  ;  I'll  soon  know  ;  "  and,  giving 
some  order  which  I  could  not  catch,  he  came  along  the 
passage,  and,  pushing  the  door  wide  open,  entered. 
"  Ah,  it  is  true,  and  you  are  here,  Sarita.  I  could 
scarcely  believe  it  true.  Who  else  is  in  the  house  ?  " 

"  For  one  there  is  a  swaggering  bully  of  old  women, 
and  his  name  is  Colonel  Juan  Livenza,"  answered 
Sarita,  scornfully.  "  Another  is  the  good  woman  of 


HEARS    THE    TRUTH    321 

the  house  whom  you  found  it  so  easy  and  safe  to 
insult." 

"Thank  you  for  that,"  he  cried,  stung  to  anger. 
"  And  I'll  show  my  gratitude  by  taking  good  care  of 
all  we  find  here." 

"  Like  the  gallant  gentleman  and  King's  officer  that 
you  are." 

"I  won't  let  your  gibes  anger  me,"  he  said.  "  It  is 
for  you  I  came  ,-  and  I  must  speak  with  you.  I  have 
come  in  friendship." 

"  I  have  no  wish  to  speak  with  you.  I  am  ready  to 
go  at  once.  I  can  be  your  prisoner,  but  not  your 
friend  ;  the  saints  forbid  that  !  "  she  cried,  with  in- 
tense bitterness.  And  I  saw  the  purpose  In  a  flash. 
To  get  him  and  his  men  away  with  her  so  that  I  might 
escape.  And  I  blessed  her  for  the  thought,  even  while 
I  resolved  to  frustrate  it.  I  had  another  plan,  and  all 
unwittingly  Livenza  helped  me. 

"  I  intend  to  speak  to  you  and  have  an  understand- 
ing, and  we  can  have  it  here  without  fear  of  inter- 
ruption," he  said. 

"  You  were  ever  a  chivalrous  gentleman,"  she  re- 
torted, trying  hard  to  goad  him  to  anger. 

But  he  paid  no  heed  to  the  sneer,  and,  going  to  the 
door,  called  up  one  of  his  men  and  ordered  him  to  keep 
the  house  surrounded,  but  not  to  disturb  him.  Then 
he  closed  the  door,  locked  it,  and  put  the  key  in  his 
pocket,  and,  feeling  secure,  said,  "  Now  we  can  talk, 
Sarita,  without  any  to  overhear  us." 

"  A  very  prudent  precaution,  Colonel  Livenza,  and 
one  for  which  I  am  infinitely  obliged  to  you,"  I  said 
quietly,  as  I  pushed  open  the  door  of  the  cupboard  and 
stepped  out,  revolver  in  hand. 


322   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

The  look  of  exultant  triumph  changed  to  one  of 
craven  fear,  as  he  gave  a  violent  start  and  stared  at 
me,  his  lips  livid,  and  his  face  white  with  the  whiteness 
of  death.  He  tried  to  answer,  but  for  the  moment 
could  force  no  words,  and  his  lips  moved  in  a  soundless 
question  inspired  by  his  overpowering  dismay  at  my 
appearance. 

Sarita  gave  me  a  look  of  reproach. 

"  Why  did  you  do  this  ?  " 

"That  we  three  may  talk  without  interruption,"  I 
answered,  not  taking  my  eyes  from  Livenza's  face. 
"  Without  interruption,"  I  repeated,  meaningly  and 
sternly.  "  Colonel  Livenza  knows  me,  and  he  knows 
that  as  he  has  the  key  of  the  door  in  his  pocket  there 
must  be  delay,  even  were  he  to  summon  his  men  ;  and 
that  the  minute  of  that  delay  would  be  his  last  on 
earth." 

"  I  shall  not  call  anyone,"  he  said,  his  voice  no  longer 
jaunty  and  truculent,  but  hoarse,  broken,  and  abject, 
the  voice  of  a  coward  in  deadly  fear. 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  it.  You  will  therefore  show  your 
confidence  in  me  further  by  laying  your  weapon  on  the 
table." 

"  There  is  no  need  for  that.     I  don't  wish " 

"  On  the  table,  there,"  I  said  sternly,  pointing  to  it. 

"  I  have  no  objection,"  he  declared,  with  a  start  at 
my  stern  tone  ;  and  with  trembling  fingers  he  drew  his 
sword  and  laid  it  down,  and  then  put  his  revolver  by 
the  side  of  it,  and  sighed. 

"  Hand  the  key  of  the  door  to  Senorita  Castelar,"  I 
bade  him  next,  and  without  a  murmur  he  obeyed. 
"  Now  we  can  talk  without  restraint,"  I  said,  and  put 
his  sword  and  revolver  on  a  chair  behind  him,  "  Be 


HEARS   THE   TRUTH     323 

good  enough  to  answer  my  questions  fully.  How 
comes  it  you  have  found  your  way  here  to  this  out-of- 
the-way  place  at  this  precise  moment?" 

"  I  heard  that  this  was  a  house  where  Carlists  were 
likely " 

"  Wait,"  I  broke  in,  angrily.  "  Tell  the  truth,  the 
full  truth  ;  no  half  lies  and  generalities  and  equivoca- 
tions ;  and  don't  forget  that  I  also  know  much — more 
than  enough  to  test  every  word  you  say.  If  you  lie, 
the  interview  ends — and  the  end  will  not  be  well  for 
you.  Now,  answer  my  question." 

"  Sebastian  Quesada's  spies  in  Daroca  found  out  that 
Senorita  Castelar  was  here,  and  I  came  in  search  of 
her." 

"  That's  better.  Now,  what  secret  arrangement  has 
there  been  between  you  and  Quesada  affecting  your 
relations  with  the  senorita  ?  Remember,  I  know  it,  but 
wish  her  to  hear  it  from  you."  The  question  set  him 
trembling  in  dire  agitation,  and  for  some  moments  he 
stood  hesitating  and  perplexed,  trying  vainly  to  speak. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ? "  he  muttered. 

"Answer,"  I  said,  sternly.     "And  mind,  the  truth." 

Again  he  wrestled  with  his  feelings,  and  then  in  a 
low  voice  :  "  He  knew  of  my  passion  for  her,  and — and 
thought  that  if  she  was  to  be  arrested,  I  had  best  do 
it." 

"  You  are  lying,  Colonel  Livenza,"  I  said. 

"  I  am  unarmed,"  he  muttered,  shifting  his  eyes  un- 
easily. 

"  I,  too,  was  unarmed  once  before  your  weapon  ;  and 
afterwards  you  swore  to  tell  me  the  truth.  You  know 
why.  But  if  you  mean  that  I  am  insulting  an  unarmed 
man,  here,  take  your  revolver ; "  and  I  put  it  on  the 


324  SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

table  and  pushed  it  toward  him.  "  You  lied,  Colonel 
Livenza,"  I  repeated. 

The  sweat  broke  out  on  his  forehead  in  the  intensity 
of  the  strain.  "I  don't  want  it,"  he  said,  hoarsely  and 
feebly,  pushing  it  back  to  me.  "  I  will  say  it.  The 
senorita  is  to  be  my  wife." 

I  put  the  pistol  on  the  chair  again  ;  for  the  experi- 
ment had  answered,  as  I  knew  it  would. 

"  You  mean  that  your  marriage  with  Senorita  Caste- 
lar  was  part  of  the  price  with  which  Quesada  bought 
your  help  and  silence?" 

"  If  you  put  it  so,  yes,"  he  murmured. 

"This  is  infamous,"  cried  Sarita. 

"  But  it  is  not  all.  Wait,  please,"  I  said  to  her  ;  then 
again  to  him — 

"  In  regard  to  the  Carlist  plot  for  abducting  the 
King,  what  part  did  he  give  you  to  play  ?  " 

"  I  was  the  intermediary  between  him  and  the  Carlists. 
Sarita  knows  this,"  and  he  looked  across  to  her. 

"  Be  good  enough  to  answer  me,  and  not  to  speak 
to  Senorita  Castelar,  nor  use  her  name.  He  promised 
you  that  she  should  be  your  wife.  How  was  that  to 
be,  and  what  was  to  happen  if  the  abduction  plot  had 
not  failed  and  the  Carlist  movement  had  been  suc- 
cessful?" 

"  It  was  not  meant  to  succeed.  His  object  was  to 
get  the  young  King  away,  the  Monarchy  overthrown, 
and  at  the  same  time  to  crush  the  Carlist  risings  as 
they  are  now  being  crushed.  He  then  intended  to  set 
up  a  provisional  Government,  as  a  Republic,  with  him- 
self at  the  head  of  it,  and  his  own  friends  filling  all  the 
offices  ;  and  then  to  proclaim  war  with  America,  in  order 
to  consolidate  all  classes  in  favour  of  the  Government." 


HEARS     THE    TRUTH    325 

"  And  you  were  to  be ?  what  besides  the  senorita's 

husband." 

"  I  was  to  be  Minister  of  War." 

"  Spain  has  lost  a  brilliant  servant,  then,  and  you  a 
portfolio  and  a  wife,  by  the  failure  of  the  plot  against 
the  King.  Of  course,  you  were  not  fool  enough  to  go  so 
deep  in  without  something  more  substantial  than  Que- 
sada's  word.  You  knew  him  too  well  for  this.  What 
proofs  of  his  sincerity  did  he  give  you  ?" 

He  hesitated  again,  and  showed  once  more  the  signs 
of  extreme  agitation,  and  at  length  answered  in  a 
tentative,  doubtful  tone — 

"  I  had  only  his  word  ;  nothing  could  be  written." 

"  What  proofs  had  you  ? "  I  cried  again,  sternly. 
"  Do  you  think  I  don't  know  what  I  am  saying  ?  " 

"  We  discussed  it  frequently.  I  was  in  his  confidence. 
I  had  no  need  of " 

"What  proofs  had  you  ?     I  shall  not  ask  you  again." 

"  He  gave  me  the  provisional  promise  in  a  letter." 
The  words  seemed  to  be  wrung  from  him  like  drops  of 
blood,  and  when  he  had  spoken  he  sighed  heavily,  and 
threw  up  his  hands  in  despair. 

"Where  is  that  letter?  You  have  it  with  you,  for 
you  know  it  would  be  safe  nowhere  else.  Give  it  to 
me,"  and  I  held  out  my  hand.  I  could  read  him  now 
easily  enough,  and  saw  my  guess  was  right. 

"  It  is  with  my  bankers,  in  my  safe,  at  Madrid,"  he 
protested  ;  but  I  paid  no  heed,  and  insisted,  disregarding 
alike  his  protests,  declarations,  oaths,  and  entreaties, 
and  at  length  made  him  give  it  me.  He  was  carrying 
it  sewn  up  in  his  clothes,  and  when  I  made  him  part 
with  it,  he  was  so  unstrung  that  he  could  no  longer 
stand  upright,  but  sank  helpless  into  a  chair. 


326   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

A  glance  at  it  showed  me  the  prize  I  had  secured, 
and  the  weapon  it  would  be  against  Quesada,  if  only  I 
could  get  it  safe  to  Madrid  and  lay  it  before  the  King's 
eyes. 

"  I  have  nearly  done  with  you,"  I  said  then.  "  And 
you  have  my  word  that  I  will  keep  the  document  safely, 
so  that  when  the  Republic  is  proclaimed  you  may  claim 
your  seat  in  the  Ministry.  But  first  tell  us  what 
arrangements  were  made,  and  when,  for  the  suppression 
of  the  Carlist  risings  ?  " 

"  All  has  been  in  readiness  for  weeks  past.  For 
months,  Government  agents  of  all  nationalities  and 
classes,  men  and  women  alike,  have  been  at  work  in  all 
directions,  and  by  every  possible  means  worming  out 
secret  information.  Many  of  the  men  who  to-day  are 
among  the  trusted  leaders  and  supporters  of  Don  Carlos 
are  Government  agents  in  Government  pay ;  every 
movement  planned  and  made,  every  council  and  thought 
almost,  every  act  and  speech,  have  been  carried  to 
Quesada,  and  actor  and  speaker  alike  listed,  watched, 
shadowed,  tested  in  a  hundred  subtle  ways,  and  marked 
as  either  suspect  or  actual  revolutionary.  Never  in  the 
world  was  such  a  net  devised,  and  never  spread  with 
subtler  cunning  or  more  implacable  purpose.  What 
chance  could  you  have  against  such  a  man  ?  "  he  cried, 
turning  to  Sarita.  "  Surely  never  before  was  such  an 
iron  strength,  invincible  will,  fathomless  depth,  and 
consummate  judgment  found  in  a  Spaniard.  His  spies 
were  everywhere,  in  your  most  secret  councils ;  he  had 
your  strength  to  a  man  ;  your  secrets  were  his  daily 
knowledge  ;  and  you  only  remained  free  to  plot  and 
plan  because  he  knew  that  at  a  signal  he  could  crush 
your  whole  revolution  as  I  would  pinch  a  fly  between 


HEARS    THE    TRUTH    32; 

my  fingers.  A  week  ago  every  man  was  in  his  place 
ready  to  pounce  the  instant  the  signal  was  given  ;  nay, 
the  very  prisons  and  cells  were  marked  out  to  which 
the  Carlists  were  to  be  taken  ;  and  in  every  town  where 
the  slightest  trouble  was  anticipated,  soldiers  out- 
numbering you  five  to  one  were  ready  at  hand.  What 
more  proof  do  you  want  than  what  has  happened  ? 
He  built  his  plans  on  the  success  of  the  abduction  plot, 
and  yet  when  it  fails  he  is  found  stronger  than  ever." 

"  This  is  mere  statement,"  cried  Sarita,  stung  into  the 
protest  by  the  lingering  refusal  to  believe  she  had  been 
so  duped. 

"  Proofs  ?  The  proofs  are  written  all  over  Spain  at 
this  moment.  Am  I  not  here  ?  Is  not  that  a  proof  ? 
Why  was  I  at  Daroca  before  you  thought  of  coming  ? 
Why,  except  that  he  allowed  you  all  to  fool  yourselves 
with  the  belief  that  your  stronghold  here  was  not 
known  to  the  Government,  and  that  you  yourself  would 
be  sure  to  fiy  here  when  the  trouble  fell  upon  your 
friends  at  Madrid  ?  But  if  you  want  proofs,  they  exist 
not  by  the  hundred  only,  but  by  the  thousand,  in  the 
orders  given  to  every  regiment  of  soldiers  and  every 
body  of  police.  There  is  no  hope  for  you,  Sarita,  but 
surrender.  You  cannot  fight  a  man  like  Sebastian 
Quesada." 

Then  I  saw  the  reason  of  his  earnestness,  which  for 
the  moment  had  puzzled  me.  He  was  bent  upon  get- 
ting her  to  renounce  Carlism  and  upon  filling  her  with 
hate  of  Quesada,  that  she  might  the  more  easily  be 
pardoned  and  given  to  him  as  his  wife.  He  could  not 
have  rendered  me  more  effective  aid,  indeed,  had  I 
prompted  him  in  every  word  he  said.  And  then  I 
went  on  to  play  the  last  card  I  had  in  reserve. 


328   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"You  were  in  Quesada's  confidence,  you  tell  us,  and 
it  is  plain  that  you  were  to  some  extent,  for  he  was 
going  to  help  you  in  winning  a  wife.  Did  he  ever  tell 
you  his  own  intentions  in  regard  to  marriage  ? " 

Sarita  started  and  looked  at  me  hurriedly,  but  I 
would  not  see  the  glance. 

"  They  were  nothing  to  me." 

"  You  have  told  us  how  these  Carlists  were  out- 
manoeuvred and  duped  by  him  ;  do  you  think  there 
were  no  dupes  among  those  nearer  to  him?"  And  I 
spoke  with  an  emphasis  that  impressed  him. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ? " 

"  Do  you  know  that  he  himself  also  thought  of  mar- 
rying a  Carlist,  one  high  in  their  councils,  and  that  he 
made  the  price  of  his  collusion  in  this  abduction  plot  a 
pledge  from  her  to  marry  him  ?  " 

I  had  not  miscalculated  the  effect  of  the  stroke. 
Poltroon  as  the  fellow  was  in  the  abject  regard  for  his 
life,  he  was  a  true  Spaniard  in  his  love  and  his  hate  ; 
and  the  jealousy  in  his  nature  was  a  devil  that  could  be 
roused  easily.  It  put  new  strength  into  him  now,  and 
he  sprang  to  his  feet  again  and  glared  across  the  table 
at  me  with  eyes  of  fire. 

"  Do  you  mean  I  was  his  dupe  in  this  ?  By  the  living 
Cross  if  I  thought  that " 

"  Ask  the  Senorita  Castelar  the  name.  She  can  tell 
you." 

"  Is  this  true,  Sarita  ?    Can  you  tell  me  ?  " 

There  was  a  pause  of  tense  silence,  and  then  she 
answered  with  slow  deliberation  : 

"  After  what  you  have  told  us  of  his  falseness,  there 
is  no  reason  why  I  should  not  say.  I  was  to  be  his 
wife." 


HEARS    THE    TRUTH    329 

He  stood  glaring  at  her  like  a  man  stiffened  suddenly 
in  the  rigidity  of  death,  save  that  his  eyes  glowed  like 
coals ;  and  for  a  full  minute  he  seemed  scarcely  to 
breathe,  so  unnatural  was  his  stillness.  Then  with  a 
deep-drawn  sigh  which  shook  the  whole  frame  till  he 
trembled,  and  I  thought  would  fall,  he  regained  self- 
mastery. 

"  On  your  honour,  and  by  the  Holy  Virgin,  you  swear 
that  is  true  ?  "  he  said,  in  a  tone  ringing  with  suppressed 
passion  until  it  sounded  utterly  unlike  his  own. 

"  I  do  not  lie,  Colonel  Livenza.  On  my  honour  and 
by  the  Holy  Virgin,  I  swear  that  that  is  the  truth," 
replied  Sarita,  slowly  and  solemnly. 

There  was  another  pause,  this  time  much  longer,  and 
then  he  seemed  to  force  his  agitation  under  control. 
And  in  the  pause  a  thought  flashed  upon  me.  Sarita's 
solemn  oath  had  meant  Quesada's  death-warrant  as 
surely  as  though  the  warrant  were  in  fact  in  existence 
and  bore  the  sign  manual  of  the  King.  He  was  a  com- 
pletely changed  man  when  he  next  spoke  with  an  alto- 
gether unnatural  calm. 

"  Can  I  go  now,  Senor  Carbonnell  ?  I  have  work 
to  do." 

"  And  your  men  ?  " 

"  I  shall  withdraw  them  ;  the  way  is  free  to  you.  I 
would  warn  you  to  escape  if  you  wish  to  go,  for  the 
soldiers  are  everywhere  ;  and  above  all  things  avoid 
every  Carlist  haunt,  for  each  of  them  is  known.  Sarita, 
we  shall  not  meet  again.  Will  you  bid  me  good-bye  ?" 
and  he  went  toward  her  as  if  expecting  her  to  give  him 
her  hand  ;  but  not  feeling  quite  sure  of  him,  I  stepped 
forward.  Sarita  said,  in  a  cold  hard  tone  : 

"  No.     You  are  less  than   nothing  to  me,  Colonel 


330  SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

Livenza.  I  can  have  no  kindly  thought  of,  or  for,  a 
traitor  like  you.  I  hope  we  never  shall  meet  again." 

Believing  what  I  did  of  his  intention,  and  that  if  I 
was  right,  he  was  surely  going  to  his  death,  I  regretted 
her  sternness. 

"As  you  will.  Some  day,  perhaps,  you  will  think 
less  harshly  ;  "  and  without  a  word  or  a  glance  to  me, 
he  picked  up  his  arms,  and,  while  I  unlocked  the  door, 
he  sheathed  his  sword  and  thrust  the  revolver  into  the 
case  he  wore  about  his  waist,  and  went  out. 

We  heard  him  call  to  his  men,  and  give  them  a  sharp 
short  command  ;  the  jingle  of  accoutrements  as  they 
mounted  was  followed  by  the  sound  of  the  horses' hoofs 
as  they  wheeled  round  and  trotted  away. 

"What  had  we  best  do  now,  Ferdinand?"  asked 
Sarita,  when  the  sound  had  quite  died  away. 

"  You  are  convinced  at  last  ?  " 

"  Don't,"  she  cried,  wincing  in  anguish.  "  I  am  so 
humiliated.  To  be  set  up  for  barter  by  these  villains, 
and  cheated  and  fooled.  For  the  Holy  Mother's  sake 
don't  let  me  think  of  it.  Give  me  something  to  do. 
Take  me  somewhere,  anywhere  that  I  may  try  to  for- 
get my  shame." 

"  By  God's  help  that  shall  be  to  England,  Sarita  ; 
and  we  will  know  no  pause  or  stop  till  we  are  safe. 
We'll  blunt  the  edge  of  this  business  by  the  excitement 
of  the  journey,"  I  cried,  little  perceiving  what  the 
excitement  would  prove  to  be  ;  and  calling  for  Juan,  I 
told  him  we  would  start  at  once,  and  that  he  must  find 
us  a  way  through  the  web  which  the  soldiers  had  spread 
all  round. 

One  precaution  I  took,  due  more  to  the  fortunate 
accident  that  we  had  to  wait  a  few  minutes  for  the 


HEARS    THE    TRUTH    331 

horses,  than  to  any  foresight  of  mine.  I  took  the  letter 
which  Livenza  had  given  me,  and  sealing  it  in  an  envel- 
ope which  I  obtained  from  Mother  Calvarro,  I  addressed 
it  to  Mayhew  at  the  British  Embassy,  with  instructions 
to  keep  it  with  the  papers  I  had  previously  entrusted 
to  him. 

Before  we  mounted  I  drew  Juan  aside. 

"  See,  my  lad,  if  anything  happens  to  me  and  I  get 
caught  by  the  soldiers,  I  shall  pass  this  envelope  to  you. 
You  must  guard  it  jealously,  for  it  may  mean  life  and 
liberty  for  hundreds  of  us  ;  and  take  it  to  Madrid  and 
place  it  in  the  hands  of  him  to  whom  it  is  addressed, 
Mf.  Mayhew,  at  the  British  Embassy.  Here  is  money  ; 
and  if  you  have  to  deliver  the  letter  and  do  it  safely,  I 
will  pay  you  very  liberally."  He  gave  me  a  faithful 
promise,  and  then  I  mounted. 

"  What  were  you  saying  to  Juan  ? "  asked  Sarita. 

"I  was  giving  him  some  instructions  in  regard  to  our 
safety,"  I  answered  ;  not  caring  to  start  the  fears  of  cap- 
ture which  were  already  present  to  my  mind  in  disquiet- 
ing force.  With  that  we  started. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

HOW    LUCK    CAN  CHANGE 

A 5  we  left  Calvarro's  I  rode  with  the  utmost  cau- 
tion, for  I  felt  by  no  means  certain  that  Livenza, 
even  in  his  changed  mood,  might  not  attempt 
some  treachery.  But  I  wronged  him  in  that  thought. 
He  had  cleared  right  away  and  had  taken  his  men  with 
him  ;  and  so  soon  as  I  was  convinced  of  this,  I  drew 
rein  and  questioned  Juan  as  to  the  possible  roads  that 
were  open  for  us  to  take. 

The  position  of  Daroca  made  our  difficulties  vastly 
greater.  The  mountains  were  on  three  sides  of  us,  and 
Juan  admitted  that  he  knew  the  passes  very  indiffer- 
ently, while  it  was  certain  that  the  chief  of  them  would 
be  blocked  with  the  soldiery.  The  one  bit  of  open 
country  was  that  by  which  I  had  ridden  from  Calatayud, 
and  as  that  was  also  the  country  which  our  young  guide 
knew  well,  I  determined  to  go  there. 

From  Calatayud  I  resolved  to  use  the  railway,  not  to 
Saragossa  or  Madrid  but  to  work  our  way  north  through 
Old  Castile  and  the  Basque  Provinces,  and  across  the 
frontier  to  Bayonne  ;  and  I  directed  Juan  therefore  to 
make  for  Calatayud  by  the  road  I  had  travelled  earlier 
in  the  night. 

"  Do  you  think  you  can  hold  out  for  a  twenty-mile 
ride,  Sarita?"  I  asked  her,  as  I  explained  generally  my 
plans. 


HOW  LUCK  CAN  CHANGE    333 

"  I  could  ride  for  five  hundred  if  I  could  only  get 
away  from  my  racking  thoughts,"  was  her  instant  and 
vehement  response  ;  and  with  that  I  directed  Juan  to 
travel  as  fast  as  the  ground  and  the  condition  of  the 
horses  would  allow.  I  knew  that  a  good  remedy  for 
her  mental  distress  would  be  found  in  physical  fatigue, 
and  we  rattled  along  therefore  at  a  strapping  pace  and 
for  a  long  time  most  part  in  silence.  One  caution  I  gave 
her. 

"  If  you  have  any  papers  or  anything  on  you  which 
might  cause  you  to  be  identified,  you  had  better  de- 
stroy them  in  case  we  are  interfered  with  and  you  are 
searched.  Until  we  are  out  of  Spain  I  shall  say  you  are 
my  sister,  and  that  we  are  leaving  the  country  because 
of  the  troubled  state  of  things." 

"  I  have  nothing.  I  came  in  this  disguise,"  she  an- 
swered, referring  to  the  peasant's  dress  she  wore. 
"  Scarcely  a  convincing  dress  for  Lord  Glisfoyle's 
sister.  But  it  doesn't  matter.  Nothing  matters  now," 
she  added,  with  a  sigh. 

The  truth  of  this  reference  to  her  incongruous  dress 
became  more  apparent  when  the  dawn  broke  and  light- 
ened. I  had  not  given  it  a  thought  while  we  were  at 
Calvarro's,  nor  while  the  darkness  made  the  matter  of 
costume  a  thing  of  no  importance  ;  but  in  the  daylight 
it  was  altogether  different.  Still,  as  riding  habits  didn't 
grow  on  Spanish  hills,  there  was  nothing  to  do  but  to 
make  the  best  of  it,  and  get  a  change  of  dress  at  the 
first  available  opportunity.  After  all,  there  was  that 
well-known  excuse  to  fall  back  upon — the  eccentricity 
of  the  English  traveller. 

I  left  Sarita  almost  entirely  to  her  own  thoughts,  and 
for  some  hours  we  scarcely  spoke  to  each  other,  until,  as 


334  SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

I  had  dismounted  and  was  leading  my  horse  up  a  hill  by 
her  side,  she  looked  down  and  said  with  a  smile  : 

"  You  are  very  good  to  me,  Ferdinand,  and  very 
thoughtful  for  me.  I  cannot  bear  to  speak  much  yet." 

"  That's  all  right.  We  shall  have  many  years  of 
chatter  to  make  up  for  a  few  hours'  silence,"  I  answered, 
cheeringly.  "  I  can  guess  pretty  well  how  it  is  with 
you.  Don't  worry.  Let's  get  out  of  this  mess  and 
we'll  have  all  the  more  to  talk  about.  What  a  young 
brick  that  Juan  is.  I  don't  know  what  we  should  have 
done  without  him.  He'll  pull  us  through  yet,"  and  it 
really  began  to  look  as  though  he  would,  for  we  were 
within  a  mile  or  two  of  Calatayud. 

"  And  do  I  owe  nothing  to  you  ?  " 

"  We  won't  shout  till  we  are  out  of  the  wood.  But 
here  we  are  at  the  top  of  the  hill,  and  forward's  the 
word  again  ;  "  and  soon  after  that  we  came  in  sight  of 
Calatayud  nestling  down  in  the  valley  a  good  way  be- 
low us,  the  smoke  from  a  few  early  fires  curling  up 
lazily  in  the  breezeless  air. 

"  Thank  God,  there's  the  railway,"  I  said,  pointing  to 
where  a  sinuous  line  of  white  steam  marked  the  course 
of  a  train  just  leaving  the  station  on  its  way  to  Madrid. 
Then  I  called  Juan  back.  "  I  am  not  going  to  your 
grandfather's  if  I  can  help  it,  Juan.  I  have  reason  to 
know  it  will  be  dangerous.  Is  there  a  Royalist  house 
in  the  place?" 

"  Yes,  senor,  there  is  Angostino's.  But  if  there  are 
any  soldiers  in  the  town  they  are  sure  to  be  there." 

"  All  the  more  reason  for  them  not  to  think  I  should 
go  there,  too.  Now  remember,  the  senorita  and  I  are 
English  people,  brother  and  sister.  I  am  Lord  Glisfoyle  " 
— and  I  made  him  repeat  the  name  several  times,  and 


HOW  LUCK  CAN  CHANGE   335 

warned  him  to  tell  anyone  who  might  question  him 
that  that  was  my  name,  and  that  I  was  an  eccentric 
English  nobleman.  "  You  won't  ride  with  us  up  to  An- 
gostino's,  but  as  soon  as  we  are  close  enough  to  the 
house  to  find  our  way,  you'll  take  the  horses^ — they 
might  be  recognised — and  we  shall  walk  there.  And 
now  I'm  going  to  trust  you.  Take  this  letter  and  keep 
it.  If  you  hear  that  I  have  been  arrested,  go  as  quickly 
as  you  can  to  Madrid  and  give  it  yourself  to  Mr.  May- 
hew,  and  tell  him  that  I  am  arrested.  But  if  I  am  not, 
then  I  shall  want  you  to  be  ready  to  go  on  a  journey 
with  me  later  in  the  day  or  in  the  evening;  I'll  find 
means  to  let  you  know  the  time."  He  promised  me, 
and  when  we  came  near  enough  to  our  destination  Sarita 
and  I  dismounted,  and  he  rode  away  with  the  horses. 

"  Now,  Mercy — that's  your  name  now,  remember — 
for  a  bold  face  on  things  and  no  language  but  English  ; 
no  character  but  that  of  eccentric  English  folk  ;  and  a 
prayer  from  the  bottom  of  our  hearts  that  my  friend 
Rubio  is  not  within  a  dozen  miles  of  Angostino's.  In 
that  case  we'll  soon  be  at  breakfast,  and  you'll  soon  be 
in  bed — and  the  best  place  for  you." 

Scarcely  anyone  was  astir  in  the  narrow  street,  or  in 
the  inn  itself,  and  swaggering  in  with  the  assurance  of 
an  irresponsible  tourist,  I  asked  for  breakfast  and  a 
couple  of  rooms  for  myself  and  sister.  I  took  care  to 
put  a  good  broad  English  accent  into  my  Spanish, 
showed  my  money  with  vulgar  ostentation,  and  made 
the  most  of  my  title. 

Everything  went  smoothly.  A  single  gold  piece 
converted  a  sleepy  serving  maid  from  a  wondering  and 
contemptuous  critic  of  Sarita's  dress  into  an  obsequious 
servant,  who  led  her  away  at  once, 


336    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"  Don't  be  long,  Mercy,  for  I  am  as  hungry  as  the 
deuce,"  I  called  after  her,  loudly. 

"All  right,"  she  cried  in  reply,  in  a  most  winsome 
accent  that  no  English  girl  could  have  copied  to  save 
her  life. 

Then  the  landlord,  having  heard  that  a  rich  English- 
man had  arrived,  came  hurrying  out  to  me  with  a 
mouthful  of  breakfast,  a  rich  smell  of  garlic,  and  a 
whole  person  eloquent  of  a  desire  to  do  my  bidding 
and  earn  my  money  ;  and  a  few  minutes  saw  me  in  the 
only  private  sitting-room  in  the  place,  a  guest  of  less 
importance  having  been  promptly  dispossessed  in  my 
honour.  There  is  nothing  like  a  combination  of  im- 
pudence, money,  and  a  character  for  English  eccentri- 
city if  you  want  your  own  way  on  the  Continent.  And 
I  never  wanted  mine  more  badly  in  my  life  nor  got  it 
more  promptly. 

"  You  are  a  magician,  Ferdinand,"  said  Sarita,  as  we 
sat  at  breakfast. 

"  But  you  are  not  Spanish,"  I  whispered,  warningly  ; 
"and  an  English  brother  and  sister  don't  carry  their 
eccentricity  so  far  as  to  talk  in  any  language  but  their 
own,  Mercy." 

"  Then  we  can  talk  very  little,"  she  replied,  in 
English. 

"  Which  is  precisely  how  English  brothers  and  sisters 
do  behave,"  said  I,  with  a  laugh. 

"  What  about  clothes  ? "  she  asked  in  some  little  dis- 
may. 

"  I'll  see  to  that.  After  breakfast  you  must  go  to 
bed.  I  don't  want  anyone  to  see  you  for  one  thing 
and  I  do  want  you  to  get  some  sleep  ;  and  while  you 
sleep,  I'll  work  the  oracle." 


HOW  LUCK  CAN  CHANGE   337 

"You  will  what  ?"  she  asked,  wrinkling  her  brow  at 
my  slang. 

"  I'll  get  hold  of  some  clothes  somehow,  if  I  steal 
them  ; "  and  as  soon  as  breakfast  was  over,  I  went  out 
to  forage. 

Juan  was  right  in  one  respect.  What  soldiers  were 
in  Calatayud  were  at  the  inn,  and  sticking  to  my  prin- 
ciple of  the  value  of  impudence,  I  went  up  to  the  two 
officers  who  were  in  command  of  the  party,  bade  them 
good-day,  and  asked  them  if  they  spoke  English.  One 
of  them  replied  that  he  did. 

"  Good,"  I  said,  heartily,  and  offered  him  my  hand 
and  asked  him  to  give  me  a  cigarette.  "  I  can  speak 
Spanish  a  bit,  but  our  English  tongues  don't  seem  to 
fit  the  words  somehow.  Let  me  introduce  myself,  for 
I  want  a  little  advice.  I  am  Lord  Glisfoyle,  an  Eng- 
lishman, travelling  with  my  sister,  and  we  have  just 
heard  of  the  death  of  a  relative  in  London,  and  have  to 
get  there  quickly.  Which  is  the  best  way  to  go  ?  I 
mean,  considering  the  mess  and  excitement  of  all  this 
Carlist  business.  I  was  at  Daroca,  and  wanted  to  get 
up  to  Saragossa  by  rail  ;  but  yesterday  you  gentlemen 
had  taken  possession  of  the  line,  and  I'll  be  hanged  if 
I  could  get  tickets.  So  we  rode  over  here  and  left  our 
baggage  there.  Here  is  my  card  ; "  and,  as  if  search- 
ing for  one,  I  pulled  out  a  roll  of  English  bank  notes, 
which  impressed  them  as  much  as  I  desired.  "  I 
haven't  one,  I  see  ;  I  must  have  left  my  card  case 
when  I  changed,  I  expect.  Anyhow,  it  doesn't  mat- 
ter." 

The  officer  was  as  obliging  as  courtesy  demanded  he 
should  be  to  a  rich  English  nobleman  in  a  difficulty, 
and  very  soon  we  three  were  discussing  my  route  over 


338   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

a  bottle  of  the  best  wine  which  Angostino  could  find  in 
his  cellar. 

The  Madrid  route  was  suggested  ;  but  I  said  I  had 
thought  of  the  other,  and  then  my  two  companions 
worked  out  the  train  service  in  that  direction.  After 
that  was  settled  we  went  out  together  and  strolled 
about  the  streets  chatting  and  smoking  ;  and  in  the 
course  of  an  hour  I  had  acquired  a  good  deal  of  use- 
ful information  about  the  doings  and  plans  of  the  mili- 
tary ;  while  on  my  side  I  took  them  to  the  telegraph 
office  and  let  them  see  the  telegrams  I  sent  off  to  Lon- 
don and  to  Mayhew  at  the  British  Embassy  in  the 
name  of  Lord  Glisfoyle. 

That  business  completed,  they  went  off  to  their  mili- 
tary duties,  and  I  found  shops  where  I  could  get  some 
clean  linen  for  myself  and  a  costume  of  a  kind  for 
Sarita,  to  whom,  trading  on  Spanish  ignorance  of  such 
things,  I  ordered  them  to  be  sent  in  the  name  of  Lady 
Mercy  Glisfoyle.  Then  I  sauntered  in  the  direction  of 
old  Tomaso's  house,  and  finding  Juan  on  the  lookout 
for  me,  I  told  him  to  be  at  the  station  that  afternoon  at 
four  o'clock,  to  watch  me  but  not  to  speak  to  me  ;  and 
to  take  a  ticket  for  the  station  where  we  had  to  change 
into  the  train  for  the  north. 

Having  done  this  good  morning's  work,  I  went  back 
to  the  inn  to  have  a  couple  of  hours'  sleep  before  leav- 
ing. I  paid  liberally  and  tipped  royally,  so  that  every- 
one about  the  place  was  sorry  for  my  going.  The  two 
officers  insisted  upon  accompanying  us  to  the  station 
to  see  me  off  ;  an  attention  which  would  have  been  very 
pleasant,  had  I  not  feared  that  he  who  spoke  English 
might  detect  Sarita's  accent ;  but  I  put  a  bold  face  on 
matters,  and  explained  that  my  sister,  Lady  Mercy  Glis- 


HOW  LUCK  CAN  CHANGE   339 

foyle,  was  very  much  fatigued,  and  had  so  bad  an  attack 
of  neuralgia  that  she  had  to  bandage  her  face  and  could 
not  speak.  And  such  was  the  confidence  in  me  that 
even  that  simple  ruse  was  not  detected,  and  no  sus- 
picion was  roused. 

At  the  station  the  officer  was  good  enough  to  take  our 
tickets  for  us,  and  he  thus  saved  me  all  troublesome 
questions.  In  fact  every  difficulty  seemed  to  vanish  as 
we  faced  it ;  and  Sarita  was  actually  in  the  train,  and  I 
was  standing  chatting  with  my  two  new  friends,  when 
the  luck  veered,  and  the  crash  came  all  suddenly. 
Nor  was  it  any  the  sweeter  to  me  because  I  had  brought 
it  on  myself  by  a  single  piece  of  over-acting. 

The  telegram  to  Mayhew  at  the  Embassy  proved  my 
undoing.  It  was  tampered  with  or  censored  or  some- 
thing at  Madrid.  At  any  rate  it  came  under  the  atten- 
tion of  the  police  there  ;  and  the  name  having  been 
bracketed  with  that  of  Carbonnell,  when  the  attempt 
had  been  made  to  arrest  me  at  the  Hotel  de  1'Opera, 
somebody's  suspicions  were  roused,  and  instructions 
were  sent  to  stop  me.  I  was  laughing  with  the  officers 
and  just  going  to  bid  them  good-bye,  when  someone 
approached  me. 

"  Lord  Glisfoyle,  I  think." 

"  Yes,  what  do  you  want  with  me  ?  " 

"  I  am  sorry,  but  there  may  be  a  mistake  of  some 
kind.  I  have  instructions  to  ask  you  not  to  leave  Cala- 
tayud  for  the  present." 

"  From  whom  are  your  instructions  ? "  I  asked 
quickly,  in  very  fluent  Spanish,  forgetting  all  about  my 
English  accent  in  my  chagrin  and  surprise. 

"  They  come  from  Madrid  ;  and  they  speak  of  a  cer- 
tain Ferdinand  Carbonnell  in  connection  with  you," 


340  SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"  I  am  an  English  nobleman,  and  at  a  loss  to  under- 
stand you.  Do  you  mean  you  intend  to  stop  my  going 
away.  You'll  do  so  at  your  own  risk  ;  and  unless  you 
use  force  I  shall  certainly  go." 

"  I  trust  you  will  not  compel  us  to  use  force.  I  have 
no  alternative  but  to  obey  my  instructions." 

At  that  moment  I  noticed  the  expression  of  the  two 
officers  and  realised  my  blunder  in  showing  my  know- 
ledge of  Spanish.  I  was  to  pay  a  heavy  price  for  it, 
too. 

"  I  repeat  I  am  an  English  nobleman  travelling  with 
my  sister,  and  the  English  Government  will  not  put  up 
quietly  with  any  interference  of  this  kind.  I  am  called 
by  urgent  business  of  a  private  character  to  London, 
and  any  delay  will  be  serious.  These  gentlemen  know 
that  I  have  telegraphed  to  London  announcing  my  im- 
mediate return." 

"  Your  Spanish  is  far  purer  than  I  understood,  senor," 
replied  the  English-speaking  officer,  drily.  "  I  think 
you  can  explain  matters  sufficiently  to  dispense  with 
any  reference  to  me." 

"As  you  please,"  I  answered,  loftily  ;  and  turning  to 
the  official,  I  said  curtly,  "  I  will  do  as  you  wish,  and 
will  just  explain  matters  to  my  sister."  I  could  think  of 
no  better  excuse  to  get  a  word  with  Sarita.  Speak  to 
her  I  must — to  urge  her  to  continue  the  journey,  and 
to  give  her  money  as  I  feared  she  had  none.  I  turned 
to  the  carriage  door  and  said  coolly,  in  English  :  "  I'm 
stopped,  but  you  can  go  on  ;  and  must  take  this  money. 
Wire  to  Mrs.  Curwen  when  you  reach  Bayonne,  and  re- 
main there.  Please,"  I  urged,  backing  the  appeal  with 
a  glance.  To  my  delighted  surprise  she  consented,  and 
with  a  light  nod,  I  added  :  "  I  shall  be  on  by  the  next 


HOW  LUCK  CAN  CHANGE    341 

train,"  and  turned  to  the  official,  "  I  am  at  your  dis- 
posal, senor." 

But  in  the  meantime  the  two  officers  had  communi- 
cated their  suspicions  to  the  man,  and  he  now  said  : 

"  I  must  ask  the  senorita,  your  sister,  to  alight  and 
remain  also.  She  shall  be  treated  with  every  considera- 
tion." 

"  This  is  monstrous,"  I  exclaimed  indignantly  ;  but 
my  protests  were  unavailing,  and  we  had  to  suffer  the 
infinite  chagrin  and  disappointment  of  seeing  the  train 
steam  away  without  us.  I  masked  my  feelings  under 
an  assumption  of  indignation,  however,  and  asked 
where  we  were  to  go. 

"  You  can  return  to  Angostino's,  senor,"  said  the 
official,  very  politely,  "  but  you  must  permit  that  I  re- 
main in  your  company  until  I  have  further  instruc- 
tions." 

"  All  places  are  alike  to  me  after  this  scandalous 
outrage,"  I  answered.  Then,  looking  about  me," I  saw 
Juan  watching  us  at  a  safe  distance,  and  as  we  passed 
I  gave  him  a  meaning  glance,  and  said  aloud  to  Sarita, 
"  We  are  arrested,  you  see,"  and  he  answered  with  a 
look  to  show  that  he  understood  and  would  do  my 
bidding. 

"  I  wish  to  telegraph  to  the  British  Embassy,"  I  then 
said  to  the  official. 

"I  regret,  senor,  but  I  can  allow  nothing  to  be  done 
until  I  have  further  instructions,"  and  there  was  noth- 
ing for  me  but  to  comply. 

We  went  back  to  the  inn  to  wait ;  but  the  delay  was 
not  long,  for  in  reply  to  the  telegram  announcing  the 
arrest  there  came  a  message  for  us  both  to  be  taken  to 
Madrid. 


342   SARITA,   THE    CARLIST 

"  You  will  give  me  your  word  to  make  no  attempt  to 
resist  us,  senor  ?  " 

"  Certainly  I  will  not.  I  won't  recognise  your  action 
in  any  way,  and  you  can  take  the  consequences  of 
everything  you  do,"  was  my  hot  reply.  But  it  served 
no  other  purpose  than  to  cause  the  man  to  have  two 
subordinates  with  him  in  the  carriage,  thus  preventing 
all  attempt  at  conversation  between  Sarita  and  myself, 
other  than  a  few  words  of  English. 

Sarita  played  her  part  well  enough,  showing  a  stolid, 
stoical  indifference  to  everything,  and  maintaining  the 
pretence  of  indisposition.  But  it  was  all  of  no  avail. 
I  had  one  consolation.  Juan  was  in  the  train,  and  I 
knew  that  very  soon  Mayhew  would  be  acting  to  effect 
my  release  ;  and  I  occupied  the  time  and  tedium  of  the 
journey  by  thinking  out  the  far  more  serious  problem 
of  Sarita's  arrest. 

At  Madrid  the  truth  came  out,  of  course,  as  I  knew 
it  would.  Rubio  was  on  the  platform  waiting  for  us 
when  the  train  drew  up.  Recognising  us  both  imme- 
diately, he  rubbed  his  hands  with  pleasure  over  the  im- 
portance of  the  arrest.  He  disregarded  my  angry 
protests,  and  in  a  few  words  sent  my  spirits  down  to 
zero. 

"You  are  Ferdinand  Carbonnell  ;  I  know  that,  and 
that  would  be  enough,  but  there  is  more.  This  is 
Senorita  Castelar,  a  most  prominent  Carlist,  and  you 
were  stopped  in  the  act  of  helping  her  to  escape  from 
the  country  under  the  pretence  that  she  was  your  sister. 
For  that  even  Lord  Glisfoyle  would  have  to  answer. 
You  are  not  in  England,  senor." 

"  No ;  but  you'll  find  the  English  Government  will 
have  a  word  to  say." 


HOW  LUCK  CAN  CHANGE    343 

"That  is  for  his  Excellency  the  Minister  to  settle, 
and  for  the  present  you  are  both  prisoners  ;  "  and  with- 
out more  ado  he  put  Sarita  into  one  carriage  and  me 
into  another,  with  a  sufficient  guard  to  ensure  our 
safety.  Thus,  instead  of  being  well  on  the  road  to 
Bayonne  as  I  had  hoped,  I  found  myself  locked  up  in  a 
filthy  prison  cell  in  Madrid,  with  a  bitter  load  of  mis- 
givings and  fears,  and  a  host  of  useless  lamentations 
and  revilings  for  the  shortsightedness  and  blunders 
which  I  had  committed  at  the  moment  when  Sarita's 
freedom  lay  in  the  hollow  of  my  hand.  I  could  have 
dashed  my  head  against  the  wall  in  the  bitterness  of 
my  self-reproach  and  futile  regrets. 

They  would  not  let  me  communicate  with  a  soul  out- 
side. I  asked  to  send  a  letter  to  the  British  Embassy, 
and  they  answered  that  I  was  a  Spaniard  and  a  Carlist, 
and  would  be  treated  accordingly.  I  demanded  an  in- 
terview with  Quesada,  and  they  replied  with  the  flout 
that  I  could  see  him  when  he  made  an  appointment.  I 
went  so  far  even  as  to  request  that  a  message  be  sent 
to  the  Palace,  and  they  laughed  at  me  for  a  madman, 
and  jeered  and  sneered  the  louder  in  proportion  as  I 
stormed  and  fumed  and  raged.  Seeing  that,  I  made  up 
my  mind  to  be  sensible,  and  do  the  only  thing  I  could 
do — wait. 

Nor  did  I  wait  in  vain. 

The  luck  which  had  gone  so  well  with  me  to  a  point, 
only  to  change  at  Calatayud  with  such  ruinous  conse- 
quences, veered  round  again  the  moment  I  reached 
Madrid,  where  there  had  been  a  witness  of  my  arrest 
who  was  soon  to  bring  me  help. 

I  had  been  about  three  hours  in  the  cell,  and  was 
passing  the  weary,  baffling,  irritating  time  in  speculat- 


344   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

ing  how  long  I  was  to  be  left  like  a  forgotten  dog  in 
the  dirty  kennel  of  a  cell,  and  how  long  it  would  take 
Mayhew  to  get  to  work  to  find  me  and  procure  my  re- 
lease, when  the  door  of  the  cell  was  unlocked  and  a 
warder  told  me  to  follow  him. 

"  Where  to  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  There's  a  visitor  for  you." 

"  Bring  him  here,  then,"  I  answered,  determined  that 
anyone  from  the  Embassy  should  see  the  filthy  place  in 
which  I  had  been  caged. 

"  Come  with  me,"  he  said  again. 

"  I  will  not,"  I  answered,  and  curled  myself  up  on 
the  bare  bench.  At  this  he  growled  out  an  oath,  and 
after  a  moment  banged  the  door  and  locked  it  again. 
It  was  probably  a  novel  experience  for  him  to  find  any- 
prisoner  unwilling  to  get  out  of  such  a  kennel  at  the  first 
opportunity,  and,  in  truth,  when  some  minutes  elapsed 
and  he  did  not  return,  I  was  disposed  to  regret  my  own 
obstinacy. 

But  I  heard  his  returning  steps  later  on,  the  door 
was  once  more  opened,  and  the  brute  said,  in  a  tone  of 
deference  : 

"  The  prisoner  is  here,  senorita,"  and  I  jumped  to  my 
feet  in  intense  surprise  to  find  Dolores  Quesada,  holding 
up  her  skirts,  and  looking  in  dismay  at  the  disgusting 
condition  of  the  cell,  and  then  with  distress,  sympathy, 
and  concern  at  me. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

QUESADA    AGAIN 

I  MUST  apologise  for  your  brother's  taste,  senorita, 
in  compelling  me  to  allow  you  to  find  me  in  such 
a — palace,"  I  said,  with  a  wave  of  the  hand 
about  the  filthy  cell.  "  This  is  the  hospitality  he  con- 
siders is  my  due." 

The  disgusting  stench  of  the  place  turned  her  sick 
and  faint,  and  anger  flashed  from  her  eyes.  I  was  not 
at  all  sorry  for  her  to  see  for  herself  the  hole  in  which  I 
had  been  caged. 

"  You  must  leave  it  at  once,  senor.  It  is  horrible," 
she  cried. 

"  I  am  but  one  of  hundreds  honoured  with  the  same 
treatment,  and  the  courtesy  of  my  host  is  so  pressing  as 
to  render  it  difficult  for  me  to  leave." 

"  I  have  brought  the  order  for  your  release,  senor. 
It  is  abominable — abominable  !  I  wish  to  speak  to  Senor 
Carbonnell  ;  take  us  to  some  place  where  we  can 
breathe,"  she  said  to  the  warder. 

"  I  told  the  prisoner  to  come  before,  but  he  refused, 
senorita,"  said  the  man  in  a  surly  tone  ;  and  then  we 
followed  him  along  the  corridor  to  a  square,  bare  room 
near  the  entrance  to  the  gaol. 

"  I  am  ashamed  at  what  you  have  suffered,  Senor 
Carbonnell.  My  brother  has  deceived  me,  and  broken 
his  pledged  word." 


346   SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

"  I  shall  ever  remember  your  former  efforts  for  me, 
senorita,  but  you  will  see  that  the  subject  of  Senor 
Quesada's  conduct  is  one  I  can  scarcely  discuss  with 
his  sister,"  I  answered. 

"  But  it  is  just  that  which  I  want  to  discuss.  I  have 
obtained  your  release " 

"  Pardon  me,"  I  broke  in,  "  but  I  cannot  accept  my 
release  on  any  conditions  whatever.  I  am  profoundly 
indebted  to  you  for  this  act  of  yours,  deeply  impressed 
by  the  motives  which  underlie  it,  and  can  never  cease 
to  think  kindly  of  you  for  it  ;  but,  though  you  found 
me  a  prisoner  in  such  vile  surroundings,  I  am  not  with- 
out great  influence  even  here  in  Madrid — far  greater 
than  your  brother  deems — and  my  liberation  was  at 
most  but  a  matter  of  hours.  I  can  therefore  make  no 
conditions  even  with  one  so  gracious  and  so  friendly  as 
yourself." 

"  You  have  maddened  Sebastian  against  you  by 
threatening  him,  but  you  will  not  think  of  such  things." 

"  I  would  do  much  to  please  you,  I  am  sure  you  know 
that  ;  but  you  ask  me  what  is  impossible,"  I  answered, 
firmly. 

"  There  is  no  man  in  the  world  for  whom  I  would 
have  done  this,"  she  cried,  impetuously.  "  And  I  had 
to  strain  to  the  utmost  my  influence  with  Sebastian  to 
do  it.  The  very  fact  that  he  ordered  your  arrest  in 
defiance  of  his  pledge  to  me  shows  how  bitterly  he  feels. 
I  was  at  the  station  this  evening  by  the  merest  chance 
when  you  were  brought  there,  and  I  could  scarcely  be- 
lieve my  own  eyes  when  I  saw  you  were  under  arrest. 
I  went  at  once  to  Sebastian " 

"  Pray  forgive  me  if  I  interrupt  you,  but  I  cannot 
discuss  his  conduct  with  you.  If  you  saw  the  arrest, 


QUESADA   AGAIN         347 

however,  you  will  have  seen  that  I  was  not  alone  in 
being  arrested  ;  and  if  you  wish  to  do  me  a  kindness 
you  will  use  this  great  influence  of  yours  to  secure  the 
liberation  of  Senorita  Castelar." 

But  at  the  mention  of  Sarita  she  drew  herself  up,  and 
both  anger  and  surprise,  but  chiefly  anger,  were  in  the 
look  she  gave  me. 

"  You  ask  me  that  ? "  she  cried,  and  then  as  suddenly 
changed.  "  You  do  not  think  she  is  in  any  danger, 
surely  ?  "  she  added. 

"  I  know  that  she  was  arrested,  and  you  yourself  saw 
the  place  where  I  was  imprisoned,  and  can  judge  of  the 
fitness  of  such  a  hole  for  a  girl." 

"  And  you  don't  know  ?  She  has  never  told  you  ?  " 
she  cried,  scornfully. 

"I  am  not  sure  I  understand  you,"  I  replied. 

"  She  is  to  be  my  brother's  wife,  senor.  Do  you 
think  he  would  suffer  her  to  be  treated  as — as  you  have 
been  ? " 

"  Senorita,  there  is  a  great  misunderstanding  some- 
where ;  but  if  anything  is  certain,  it  is  that  she  will  never 
be  his  wife." 

"  Will  you  come  and  see  Sebastian  ? "  she  asked, 
suddenly.  "  I  am  so  anxious  to  have  peace  between 
you." 

"  It  could  do  no  good." 

"  I  ask  you  to  come.  If  you  value  what  I  have 
done  here,  you  will  consent." 

"  It  can  do  no  good  ;  but  if  you  ask  it  I  will  go  ;  " 
and  the  instant  I  had  consented  she  led  the  way  to  her 
carriage,  which  was  waiting  outside  the  gate. 

"  Where  is  Senorita  Castelar  ?"  I  asked,  as  we  drove 
rapidly  along. 


348  SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

"  I  don't  know,  but  she  is  sure  to  be  well  cared  for," 
she  answered,  as  though  the  subject  was  no  concern  of 
hers  ;  and  no  more  was  said  until  we  were  close  to  the 
house.  Then,  with  some  hesitation,  she  said :  "  I 
know  nearly  everything  of  my  brother's  plans,  and 
shall  be  present  at  the  interview.  There  must  be  a 
full  understanding." 

I  made  no  reply,  for  I  did  not  quite  know  what  she 
meant  ;  but  I  was  certain  that  if  there  was  to  be  any- 
thing like  a  full  understanding  the  interview  promised 
to  be  interesting  ;  and  I  began  to  feel  glad  I  had  come. 

Quesada  was  at  home,  and  in  the  room  where  I  had 
had  my  last  conversation  with  him  and  my  introduction 
to  Rubio,  and  I  found  him  looking  much  more  con- 
cerned and  anxious  than  I  had  ever  seen  him. 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  this  visit  ?  "  was  his  blunt 
greeting. 

"  I  have  brought  Senor  Carbonnell,"  said  Dolores, 
"  that  these  things  may  be  explained  and  talked  over. 
I  wished  it,  Sebastian." 

"  Very  well  ;  what  does  he  want  to  explain  ? " 

"  You  told  me  to-night,  for  the  second  time,  that  he 
could  and  would  ruin  you  if  he  was  set  at  liberty.  I 
wish  to  have  peace  between  you.  I  told  you  so,  when 
I  insisted  on  his  being  liberated  ;  and  I  have  told  him 
so,  too.  Now  that  you  are  face  to  face,  say  plainly 
what  this  means,  and  how  it  is  to  be  avoided." 

"  When  women  interfere  in  matters  they  don't  under- 
stand, they  always  do  something  foolish.  This  is  mere 
foolishness.  Senor  Carbonnell — or,  to  give  him  his 
proper  title,  Lord  Glisfoyle — is  bent  upon  doing  his 
utmost  to  ruin  me,  and  you  have  given  him  the  oppor- 
tunity. Why,  then,  seek  to  delay  him  in  his  purpose  ? 


QUESADA   AGAIN         349 

Let  him  go  and  begin  his  task."  He  spoke  quite 
firmly,  and  with  great  deliberateness. 

"  This  is  hopeless,  Sebastian,"  cried  his  sister,  wring- 
ing her  hands. 

"What  would  you  have  me  do,  Dolores  ?  Assume  a 
fear  of  him  which  I  do  not  feel  ?  Throw  myself  at  his 
feet  and  beg  his  mercy,  when  I  stand  in  no  need  of  it  ? 
Play  at  theatricals  ?  You  are  a  woman,  we  are  men  ; 
and  you  don't  understand  us  or  our  methods.  Lord 
Glisfoyle  and  I  have  been  engaged  in  a  duel  to  the 
death.  I  had  him  at  my  advantage  when  you  inter- 
fered— for  the  second  time.  You  have  given  him  the 
advantage  now,  and  the  cue  is  with  him.  He  holds,  or 
thinks  he  holds,  weapons  which  he  can  use  to  secure  my 
ruin  ;  and  you  seem  to  think  you  can  induce  him  not 
to  use  them  by  bringing  him  here  to  talk  over,  as  you 
call  it,  the  position.  I  am  sure  he  did  not  come  will- 
ingly, and  am  surprised  he  came  at  all ;  but  here  or 
anywhere  else — except,  of  course,  in  safe  keeping — it 
is  all  one  to  me.  We  shall  continue  the  duel  under  the 
circumstances  which  you  have  changed  in  this  way  to 
my  disadvantage!" 

"  I  was  leaving  Spain  when  your  men  stopped  me 
and  brought  me  to  Madrid,"  I  said. 

"  But  not  alone,"  he  rapped  out,  sharply. 

"  No,  with  the  lady  who  is  to  be  my  wife,"  I  retorted. 

For  a  second  his  hands  clenched  involuntarily,  and 
he  winced,  but  instantly  recovered  himself,  and  spoke 
calmly. 

"  That  remains  to  be  seen.    But  why  this  interview  ?  " 

"  I  have  not  sought  it,"  I  answered  curtly,  and  got 
up  to  leave. 

"  You  must  not  go,"  cried  Dolores. 


350   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"  My  dear  Dolores,  do  not  meddle  any  more." 

"Yes,  Sebastian,  I  will.  I  must  speak.  Senor  Car- 
bonnell — Lord  Glisfoyle,  I  mean — knows  your  secret 
plotting  in  regard  to  the  King  ;  he  holds,  as  you  told 
me,  documents  which  must  compromise  you,  and  may 
ruin  you  if  he  can  prove  they  are  genuine.  These  are 
what  you  call  his  weapons.  There  must  be  some  in- 
ducement that  can  prevail  upon  him  not  to  use  them. 
Is  that  not  so,  Lord  Glisfoyle  ? "  she  cried,  turning  to 
me  in  deep  distress. 

"You  are  forgetting  yourself,  Dolores.  We  are  not 
children  or  women,"  said  the  Minister,  sternly.  "  I 
will  have  no  more  of  this  child's  play.  You  should  not 
have  brought  Lord  Glisfoyle  here.  Every  word  you 
utter  but  makes  your  blunder  worse  ;  and  God  knows 
you  have  done  enough  mischief  already  to  satisfy  even 
a  woman." 

"I  asked  you  a  question,  Lord  Glisfoyle,"  said 
Dolores,  paying  no  regard  to  his  protests. 

"A  question  I  find  most  difficult,  I  may  say  im- 
possible, to  answer.  Your  brother  knows  how  he  has 
treated  me,  and  knows  also  how  he  would  act  were 
our  positions  reversed.  I  can  say  no  more." 

"  But  do  you  mean  to  use  these  letters  ? "  she 
persisted. 

"  Since  obtaining  them  I  have  obtained  others,  and 
much  information.  I  know  the  part  you  have  played 
throughout  this  business,  Senor  Quesada," — I  felt  it 
easier  to  speak  to  him — "  and  I  shall  not  rest  until  I 
have  done  my  utmost  to  bring  this  home  to  you.  In 
one  thing  you  have  wronged  your  sister.  I  should  not 
have  remained  in  what  you  term  safe  keeping  more  than 
a  few  hours  at  the  utmost ;  for  already  there  are  forces 


QUESADA   AGAIN        351 

at  work  for  my  liberation  which  even  you  would  find  it 
hopeless  to  resist.  What  you  term  your  sister's  blunder, 
therefore — procuring  my  liberation  from  the  prison — 
is  no  more  than  an  anticipation  by  those  few  hours  of 
what  must  have  followed." 

"  That  may  be.  At  any  rate,  you  are  free,  and  you 
owe  it  to  her."  This  reminder  of  my  obligation  to 
Dolores  was  the  first  slight  rift  in  his  firmness. 

"  If  it  were  possible,  it  would  influence  my  attitude. 
But  nothing  can  do  that — nothing,  at  least,  that  you 
can  do." 

"  I  knew  there  was  something.  What  is  it  ?  Tell 
us  that,  Lord  Glisfoyle.  I  beg  and  pray  of  you,  say 
what  it  is,"  cried  Dolores,  in  a  tone  of  fervent  entreaty. 

"  It  is  useless  even  to  name  it.  It  is  nothing  less 
than  the  undoing  of  all  this  wilful  and  unholy  persecu- 
tion of  the  Carlists — wilful  and  unholy  because  under- 
taken for  the  sake  of  furthering,  not  the  welfare  of 
Spain,  but  your  brother's  ambition." 

"  It  is  not  impossible.  I  am  sure  it  is  not,"  she 
exclaimed.  "You  can  do  anything,  Sebastian  ;  while 
your  influence  is  what  it  is,  you  can  do  anything.  Say 
that  this  shall  be  done,  and  Lord  Glisfoyle  will  leave 
Spain — I  know  he  will — and  give  up  these  documents 
you  fear  so  much." 

They  were  the  mere  wild,  idle  words  of  a  distracted 
woman,  the  cry  of  a  true  heart  torn  asunder  by  the 
vehemence  of  emotion. 

To  my  surprise,  her  brother  did  not  instantly 
repudiate  them,  however,  but  sat  with  pent,  frowning 
brows  in  deep  thought  for  a  moment. 

"  Would  you  go  alone  ? "  he  asked  then,  without 
relaxing  the  stern,  set  expression  of  face. 


352   SARITA,   THE    CARLIST 

"  Do  you  mean  would  anything  ever  make  me  consent 
to  see  Sarita  Castelar  your  wife  ? " 

"  Would  you  go  alone  ? "  he  repeated,  in  the  same 
tone. 

"  Nothing  would  make  me  consent  to  that,"  I  replied, 
answering  my  own  question.  "  And  nothing  will  ever 
induce  me  not  to  hold  you  responsible  for  her 
safety." 

He  heard  me  without  a  sign,  and  again  buried  him- 
self in  his  thoughts.  Then  he  pushed  his  chair  back, 
rose,  and  went  to  the  door. 

"  Leave  us  a  few  minutes,  Dolores,"  he  said,  still  in 
the  same  set,  even  tone.  "  It  is  possible  that  we  may 
yet  arrive  at  an  understanding." 

She  looked  at  him  in  fear,  then  at  me,  doubtingly, 
and  again  back  at  him. 

"  No,  I  cannot  leave  you.     I — I  dare  not." 

"  Leave  us,  Dolores.  I  shall  not  murder  Lord 
Glisfoyle." 

She  still  hesitated  and  lingered,  but  at  length  yielded, 
saying  as  she  passed  me — 

"I  shall  see  you  again  ?" 

I  bowed,  but  said  nothing;  I  was  too  full  of  surprise 
at  the  turn  things  were  taking,  and  too  thoughtful, 
wondering  what  was  to  come  next. 

Quesada  held  the  door  while  his  sister  passed  out, 
and  closed  and  locked  it  after  her,  and  turned  back  to 
his  table. 

"  We  are  now  quite  alone,  Lord  Glisfoyle,  and  can 
speak  plainly.  You  love  Sarita  Castelar,  and  hope  to 
make  her  your  wife  ?  " 

"I  decline  to  discuss  her  with  you,  Senor  Quesada." 

"  Well,  then,  I  tell  you  she  is  pledged  to  marry  me, 


QUESADA   AGAIN        353 

and  I  will  suffer  no  man  on  earth  to  take  her  from  me." 

"You  did  not  speak  so  to  your  tool,  Colonel  Juan 
Livenza.  I  am  aware  of  the  infamous  bargain  you 
made  with  him." 

"  I  will  not  allow  anyone  to  take  her  from  me,"  he 
said  again,  between  his  teeth,  the  increased  tenseness 
of  the  tone  being  his  only  notice  of  my  words.  "  You 
are  an  English  nobleman,  and  presumably  a  man  of 
courage.  When  you  were  here  last  time  in  my  house, 
you  struck  me.  You  are  now  bent  on  ruining  me,  and 
have  set  everything  on  that  venture.  Owing  to  my  sis- 
ter's interference,  you  are  free  ;  and  because  she  loves 
you,  she  is  mad  enough  to  stay  my  hands  in  dealing 
with  you,  knowing,  what  you  also  know,  things  that 
must  be  kept  secret.  And  as  a  crowning  stroke  you 
threaten  to  rob  me  of  the  woman  I  love.  Under  those 
circumstances,  what  think  you  is  the  fitting  course  for 
two  men — two  enemies,  if  you  will — placed  as  you  and 
I  are,  to  pursue  ?  " 

"  If  I  understand  you,  I  decline  [to  discuss  such  a 
proposal." 

"  If  you  are  a  gentleman  and  a  man  of  honour,  and 
not  a  coward,  you  will  find  only  one  answer  to  my  ques- 
tion," he  said,  his  rage  deepening  in  its  quiet  intensity 
with  every  sentence,  till  each  word  he  uttered  was  a 
deliberate  insult — an  added  knot  on  the  lash  of  his  bit- 
ter tongue.  But  I  had  my  temper  too  well  in  hand  to 
take  fire. 

"  There  are  matters  you  forget.  You  set  your  bully, 
Livenza,  upon  me  first  ;  you  used  your  power  as  Minis- 
ter to  destroy  me  ;  you  ordered  your  police  spies  to  dog 
me  ;  and  you  had  me  gaoled  in  one  of  your  filthy 
prisons.  In  this  way  you  exhausted  every  means  in 


354   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

your  power  to  deal  with  me  officially ;  and  having 
schemed  and  tricked  and  bullied  thus  in  vain,  you  find 
yourself  at  bay,  and  as  a  last  resource  you  remember 
your  honour  with  suspicious  tardiness,  and  think  of  the 
means  which  the  gentleman  and  the  man  of  honour  you 
speak  of  would  have  thought  of  first.  I  will  not  fight 
with  you,  Senor  Quesada." 

"You  are  a  coward,  then." 

"  I  don't  accept  your  standards  in  that  matter." 

"  I  will  make  you  fight  me,"  he  cried  ;  and,  his  rage 
breaking  beyond  all  control,  he  rushed  at  me,  and  raised 
his  arm  to  strike  me  with  the  back  of  the  hand  across 
the  mouth  ;  but  I  caught  his  arm,  and  thrust  him  stag- 
gering back  against  his  chair,  over  which  he  nearly  fell. 
Thinking  he  might  have  firearms,  and  that  in  his  mad 
fury  he  would  use  them,  I  unlocked  the  door,  and  was 
leaving  the  room  when  he  called  to  me  ;  but  I  paid  no 
heed,  and  went  out. 

Dolores  was  in  waiting,  and  came  when  she  heard  me 
leaving.  She  was  paler  even  than  before,  like  one  dis- 
traught with  fear  and  anxiety.  I  pitied  her  from  the 
bottom  of  my  heart,  and  her  brother's  blunt  statement 
that  she  loved  me,  and  had  been  led  by  that  love  to  in- 
sist on  my  freedom  even  at  the  cost  of  ruin  to  him, 
touched  me  very  closely. 

"  Is  there  any  hope  of  an  arrangement,  senor  ? "  she 
asked,  searching  my  face  with  haggard  eyes. 

"  None  whatever,"  I  replied,  shaking  my  head. 

"  Can  nothing  bring  you  two  together  again  ? " 

"  It  is  absolutely  impossible,  senorita." 

I  spoke  as  gently  as  I  could,  but  it  was  useless  to 
flinch  from  the  truth. 

"  Can  I  do  nothing  to  prevail   with   you  ?    I   have 


QUESADAAGAIN         355 

tried  so  hard  to  serve  you,"  she  said,  in  a  tone  of  de- 
spairing wistfulness. 

"For  you,  personally,  I  would  do  anything  in  my 
power.  I  am  not  unmindful  of  what  it  must  have  cost 
you,  and  you  shall  not  find  me  ungrateful." 

"  I  do  not  ask  for  thanks  ;  I  do  not  want  them.  I 
should  have  done  the  same  had  the  ruin  been  mine  in- 
stead of  Sebastian's,"  and  she  smiled.  "I  am  glad  to 
have  done  it  ;  "  but  the  smile  ended  in  a  sigh  at  the 
thought  of  the  price  to  be  paid. 

I  took  her  hands  and  pressed  them. 

"I  am  very  troubled  for  you,"  I  murmured. 

She  returned  the  pressure,  her  own  hands  trembling 
very  much. 

"  If  it  had  not  been  for  Sarita  Castelar,  you  two 
would  never  have  quarrelled,  and — and  all  would  have 
been  so  different."  Her  lips  quivered  as  she  spoke,  and 
her  eyes  were  full  of  sadness.  Her  look  pained  me 
inexpressibly.  I  said  nothing,  and  after  a  pause  she 
added  : 

"  You  do  not  think  he  will  let  you  take  her  from  him  ? 
You  know  him  too  well  for  that ;  although  you  do 
not  know  him  yet.  What  was  it  he  would  not  let  me 
hear  ? " 

"  I  would  rather  you  heard  it  from  him.  And  I  must 
go."  She  had  roused  my  fears  for  Sarita. 

"  I  thought  he  meditated  some  act  of  violence  against 
you,  and  he  is  headstrong  enough  to  do  anything — > 
even  against  her." 

"  You  can  surely  prevent  that,"  I  cried,  quickly,  in 
alarm.  "  You  were  strong  to  save  me." 

The  look  with  which  she  answered  me  lives  in  my 
memory  to  this  hour.  Then  she  drew  her  hands  from 
mine,  and  said  coldly — 


356     SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"  I  can  do  nothing.  You  have  made  him  desperate." 
And  with  a  change  of  tone,  after  a  slight  pause,  as 
though  excusing  her  own  hardness  of  thought  and  re- 
solve, she  added  :  "  Besides,  I  do  not  know  where  she 
is  ;  so  I  can  do  nothing,  even  if  I  would." 

With  that  I  left  her,  and  hurried  from  the  house  a 
prey  to  innumerable  harassing  fears,  the  stings  and 
darts  of  which  sent  me  plunging  headlong  through  the 
streets  to  go  I  did  not  think  where,  and  to  do  I  did  not 
know  what. 

Sarita  was  in  imminent  peril  from  that  reckless,  des- 
perate man,  and  I  alone  had  to  save  her.  More  than 
once  I  halted  undecided  whether  to  return  and  take  up 
the  challenge  he  had  thrown  down,  and  trust  to  my  own 
strength  and  skill  to  render  him  powerless  to  harm  her. 
And  in  this  bewildered  state  of  mind  I  found  myself  at 
the  door  of  my  old  dwelling,  half  crazed  by  the  thought 
that  hours  at  least  must  elapse  before  I  could  use  hand 
or  tongue  for  her  protection,  and  that  for  all  those 
hours  she  would  be  absolutely  at  his  mercy. 


CHAPTER  XXX 

SUSPENSE 

THE  moment  I  entered  my  rooms  I  perceived  that 
they  had  been  ransacked.  The  trail  of  the 
police  searchers  lay  over  everything.  In  his 
eagerness  to  regain  possession  of  that  compromising 
document  which  he  feared  so  acutely,  Quesada  had 
turned  his  agents  loose  in  my  rooms  ;  and  they  had 
done  their  work  so  thoroughly  that  the  condition  of  the 
place  was  a  silent  but  most  impressive  tribute  to  their 
skill  and  his  alarm.  The  rooms  had  been  searched 
from  wall  to  wall  ;  my  trunks  had  been  broken  and 
overhauled  ;  drawers  and  cupboards  had  been  forced, 
and  the  contents  diligently  scrutinised  ;  not  a  thing  had 
been  left  in  its  proper  place  ;  and  I  smiled  with  a  feel- 
ing of  grim  pleasure  that  I  had  had  the  forethought  to 
put  the  papers  in  the  safe  hands  of  my  friend  Mayhew. 

For  the  action  of  the  police  I  cared  nothing,  and  I 
stayed  in  the  place  only  long  enough  to  get  such  clothes 
as  I  might  need  ;  and  I  threw  them  into  a  Gladstone 
bag,  and  carried  them  over  to  Mayhew's  rooms. 

I  had  too  stern  a  task  before  me  in  procuring  Sarita's 
release  to  give  serious  thought  to  much  else.  My  friend 
was  out,  and  I  guessed  I  should  find  him  at  the  Hotel 
de  1'Opera  ;  but,  having  changed  my  clothes,  I  sat 
down  to  think  over  matters  before  going  in  search  of 
him. 


353   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

Affairs  were  in  all  truth  in  an  inextricable  tangle,  and 
very  little  reflection  convinced  me  that  instead  of  un- 
ravelling them  I  had  made  them  worse  by  the  course  I 
had  adopted  with  Sebastian  Quesada.  I  had  committed 
the  fatal  blunder  of  driving  him  into  a  corner,  and 
rendering  him  desperate  enough  to  resort  to  any  of 
those  violent  methods  which  Dolores  had  said  he  would 
certainly  adopt  when  once  his  back  was  to  the  wall. 

It  was  easy  to  see  now  what  I  ought  to  have  done. 
Belated  wisdom  is  the  curse  of  a  fool,  I  thought  bitterly, 
as  I  realised  what  my  clumsy  shortsighted  tactlessness 
had  achieved.  What  I  ought  to  have  done  was  to  have 
convinced  him  of  my  power  to  ruin  him  ;  have  told 
him  even  of  my  influence  at  the  Palace  ;  and  have  driven 
in  upon  him  with  irresistible  force  that  it  was  in  my 
power  to  thwart  the  ambition  and  ruin  the  career  that 
were  as  the  very  breath  of  his  nostrils  to  him.  Having 
done  that,  I  ought  to  have  opened  the  door  of  escape 
by  a  pledge  to  do  nothing  if  he  would  but  give  up 
Sarita. 

Instead  of  this  I  had  driven  him  to  desperation.  I 
had  left  him  under  the  conviction  that  not  only  could  I 
ruin  him,  but  that  I  most  assuredly  should  do  so  ;  and 
had  thus  given  him  no  alternative  but  to  set  his  vigor- 
ous energies  to  work  to  retrieve  so  much  of  his  position 
as  was  possible,  and  to  keep  for  himself  what  he  prized 
scarcely  less  than  his  position,  and  what  it  was  already 
in  his  power  to  secure — the  woman  he  loved. 

That  he  could  keep  Sarita  from  me,  I  could  not 
doubt.  He  needed  but  to  lift  a  finger  to  have  her  con- 
veyed where  I  might  search  for  her  in  vain  ;  and  a 
slight  knowledge  of  his  resourceful  and  implacable 
character  was  enough  to  convince  anyone  that  he  would 


SUSPENSE  359 

act  both  promptly  and  resolutely.  And  I  shuddered 
at  the  thought  of  the  probable  consequences  to  her. 

There  was  yet  another  distracting  reflection.  It  was 
by  no  means  certain  that,  even  if  I  could  wrest  her  from 
his  grip,  I  could  obtain  clemency  for  Sarita  herself. 
Her  actions  in  this  infernal  Carlist  business  had  been 
those  of  vigorous,  bitter,  and  dangerous  intrigue  against 
the  King ;  treason  as  subtle  as  it  was  active.  She  was 
an  acknowledged  leader  of  the  Carlists  ;  and  I  might 
be  sure  that  Quesada  for  his  own  purposes  had  ac- 
cumulated more  than  sufficient  proofs  of  her  intrigues. 
Great  as  was  the  obligation  of  the  King  and  the  Queen 
Regent  to  me,  I  could  scarcely  dare  to  hope  they  would 
pardon  her ;  and  hence,  if  I  succeeded  in  pulling  down 
the  strong  pillars  at  the  house  of  Quesada's  reputation, 
there  was  too  much  reason  to  fear  that  when  the  build- 
ing fell  Sarita  would  be  crushed  in  the  ruins. 

Moreover,  there  was  the  problem  of  Sarita's  own 
sentiments.  In  the  revulsion  of  feeling  which  had  fol- 
lowed Livenza's  disclosures,  she  had  been  willing  to 
leave  the  country  ;  and  while  I  was  with  her,  and  the 
influence  of  our  mutual  love  could  work  upon  her,  that 
willingness  might  have  remained.  But  in  the  solitude 
of  her  imprisonment,  wherever  the  prison  might  be,  she 
would  have  long  hours  of  cold  thought  ;  and  I  had  seen 
too  much  of  her  infatuated  belief  that  her  duty  de- 
manded she  should  stay  and  share  the  fate  of  those 
who  had  been  misled  by  her  ill-fated  plans,  not  to  fear 
that  that  infatuation  would  again  assert  itself. 

Thus,  ponder  and  stew  and  plan  as  I  would,  I  could 
see  no  clear  course.  All  things  contributed  to  make  it 
a  personal  struggle  between  Quesada  and  myself,  in 
which,  while  I  held  the  weapons  that  might  ruin  him, 


36o    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

he  had  the  means  of  making  that  ruin  fatal  to  me  so 
far  as  the  only  object  I  cared  for,  Sarita's  safety  and 
well-being,  was  concerned. 

As  my  head  cleared  from  the  whirl  of  mazing 
thoughts,  the  conclusion  that  I  had  blundered  so  badly 
in  my  interview  with  him  became  plainer  and  plainer, 
gradually  hardening  into  the  new  purpose  to  return  to 
him  in  the  possible  hope  of  retrieving  the  mistake. 
Such  a  reopening  of  matters  would  look  like  an  admis- 
sion of  weakness  ;  and  so  in  truth  it  was  ;  but  I  had 
only  one  object — Sarita's  safety  ;  and  that  must  over- 
ride all  other  and  lesser  considerations. 

Going  down  into  the  street,  I  drove  back  to  his 
house,  my  distaste  for  the  interview  increasing  with 
every  yard  that  brought  it  nearer,  and  the  difficulties 
of  the  task  looming  ever  greater,  until  I  am  not  sure 
that  I  was  not  rather  glad  when  I  was  told  he  had  left 
his  house,  and  that  the  hour  of  his  return  was  uncer- 
tain. I  did  not  ask  for  Dolores,  but,  getting  back  into 
the  carriage  that  had  brought  me,  told  the  man  to 
drive  me  to  the  Hotel  de  1'Opera. 

My  arrival  there  was  hailed  with  delight.  Madame 
Chansette  and  Mayhew  were  with  Mrs.  Curwen  and 
Mercy,  and,  having  heard  of  my  arrest,  all  were  deep  in 
anxious  discussion  of  my  affairs  when  I  entered. 

I  gave  them  a  very  general  and  brief  account  of  my 
doings,  and  instantly  a  whole  battery  of  questions  was 
opened  upon  me. 

"  You  look  sadly  in  need  of  a  good  square  meal,"  said 
Mrs.  Curwen,  always  practical ;  and  she  promptly  or- 
dered some  supper  for  me.  "At  the  present  rate  of 
running,  about  another  week  of  this  will  finish  you," 
she  added. 


SUSPENSE  361 

"But  how  did  you  get  away?"  asked  Mayhew. 
"  You  were  arrested,  and  the  whole  Embassy  has  been 
hard  at  work  expostulating,  protesting,  protocoling, 
and  Heaven  knows  what.  There  never  was  such  a 
pother  raised  in  Madrid  before." 

"  An  order  came  for  my  release,  and  I  walked  out." 

"  Do  you  mean  you  were  actually  in  prison  ? ''  asked 
Mercy. 

"And  a  very  filthy  prison,  too,  I  assure  you.  But,  so 
far  as  I  am  concerned,  that  danger  is  over." 

"  Well,  thank  Heaven  for  that.  Another  period  of 
suspense  of  the  kind  would  about  kill  Mercy,  and  finish 
off  the  family,"  cried  Mrs.  Curwen.  "  I'm  off  Spanish 
investments  altogether.  And  what's  going  to  happen 
next  ?  Of  course  it'll  be  something  unusual.  There's 
no  musty  conventionality  about  your  doings  just  now." 

"  And  where  is  Sarita  ?  "  asked  Madame  Chansette. 

"  I  wish  I  knew,  my  dear  madame.  She  was  ar- 
rested at  the  same  time  as  I ;  and  if  I  knew,  I  could  do 
something  to  help  her.  But  that's  just  the  pith  and 
kernel  of  my  trouble.  As  to  what  will  come  next  I  have 
not  a  much  clearer  idea  than  you,  Mrs.  Curwen.  But 
something  will  probably  happen  to-morrow." 

"  We  may  be  sure  of  that,"  she  returned  quickly. 
"  And  when  can  we  all  go  away  to  some  safe  un- 
dynamity  country  ? " 

"  I  think  I  shall  be  able  to  answer  that  better  to- 
morrow." 

"  It's  all  to-morrow,  it  seems  to  me.  And  in  the 
meantime  don't  you  think  you'd  better  go  to  bed  some- 
where ?  You're  about  fagged  out." 

"  I  am  too  anxious  to  sleep." 

"  And  when  was  anxiety  relieved  by  sitting  up  all 


362    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

night  and  worrying  with  it  ?  There,  I've  rung  the  bell, 
and  you  can  tell  the  waiter  to  have  a  room  got  ready 
instantly  for  you.  We  shall  all  feel  easier  if  we  know 
you're  in  the  place.  I'm  sure  you  can't  do  anything 
to-night,  and  by  the  morning  you'll  have  a  clear  head, 
some  more  plans,  and  enough  energy  for  another  burst 
of  this  kind  of  thing." 

When  the  waiter  came  I  yielded,  under  protest,  and 
ordered  a  room. 

"I  must  have  a  long  chat  with  Mayhew  first,"  I  said. 

"  Not  to-night,  if  Mercy  and  I  have  any  influence 
with  Mr.  Mayhew,"  she  returned,  and  Mercy  agreed. 
Then,  to  my  surprise,  Mayhew,  in  a  half-shamefaced 
but  very  serious  manner,  said  :  "  I  think  Mrs.  Curwen 
is  right,  Ferdinand." 

"  What,  you  as  well,  Silas  ?"  and  as  I  looked  at  him 
he  smiled  and  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  No  one  thinks  of  questioning  Mrs.  Curwen's  com- 
mands," he  answered. 

"  Oh,  already  ?  Then  I'd  better  give  in,  too,"  and 
with  that  I  went,  feeling  indeed  the  truth  of  what  she 
said — that  I  could  do  nothing  that  night. 

She  was  right,  also,  that  I  was  in  sore  need  of  rest, 
and,  despite  my  anxieties  and  my  declaration  that  sleep 
would  be  impossible,  my  head  was  no  sooner  on  the 
pillow  than  I  fell  into  deep  slumber,  which  lasted  until 
a  sluggard's  hour  on  the  following  morning.  It  was 
ten  o'clock  before  I  awoke. 

I  found  Mrs.  Curwen  alone,  and  my  vexation  at  hav- 
ing been  allowed  to  lie  so  late  must  have  shown  in  my 
face,  for  she  said  directly  :  "  There's  no  one  to  blame 
but  me,  Lord  Glisfoyle.  I  would  not  allow  you  to  be 
called.  I  don't  believe  in  my  prescriptions  being  half 
taken." 


SUSPENSE  363 

"  I  have  a  great  deal  to  do,"  I  answered,  somewhat 
ungraciously. 

"  That's  no  reason  why  you  should  try  to  do  it  with 
half  your  energies  sapped  for  want  of  sleep.  Mr.  May- 
hew  has  been  here  for  you  and  tried  to  get  to  you  ;  but 
I  wouldn't  let  him,"  she  said  assertively. 

"  He  is  learning  obedience  diligently,  it  seems,"  I 
observed. 

"  He  is  a  very  good  fellow,  and  I  strained  my  influ- 
ence with  him,  I  can  tell  you,"  she  retorted,  with  a 
smile  of  some  occult  meaning. 

"  He  is  the  prince  of  good  fellows,  and  the  staunch- 
est  of  friends,  and  I  congratulate  you  on  having  such 
influence  to  strain." 

"  Oh,  men  are  not  difficult  to  manage,  if  properly 
handled." 

"  Some  of  us,  that  is ;  but  I  hope  he  has  been  duly 
attentive  in  my  absence,"  I  said,  casually,  and  with  a 
glance. 

"  What  was  the  poor  man  to  do  ?  He  couldn't  very 
well  leave  us  in  the  lurch,  I  suppose  ?  You  were  away, 
and  we'd  positively  no  one  else." 

"  To  say  nothing  of  his  own  inclinations,"  I  added. 

"To  say  nothing  of  his  own  inclinations,"  she 
repeated.  "  Mercy  is  not  exactly  the  kind  of  girl  to 
scare  a  man  away  from  her,  I  should  hope." 

"  A  supposition  that  might  be  extended  to  in- 
clude  " 

"What  do  you  mean?"  she  asked  quickly,  as  I 
stopped. 

"Whom  should  I  mean  but" — looking  at  her 
pointedly — "  Madame  Chansette,  shall  I  say  ?  "  She 
laughed. 


364    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"  Yes,  we'll  say  Madame  Chansette." 

"  And  yet — well,  it  doesn't  much  matter  whom  we 
say  ;  but  at  any  rate  he's  a  thoroughly  genuine  fellow, 
and — you  can  fill  in  the  rest.  But,  by  the  way,  where 
is  Mercy  ? " 

"  She  is  having  a  French  or  Spanish  lesson,  I  think  ; 
I'll  tell  you  all  about  it  when  you've  finished  your  break- 
fast, and  not  a  minute  before.  But  about  Mr.  Mayhew, 
tell  me,  what  is  he  at  the  Embassy  here  ?  He  seems  to 
speak  as  though  he  was  a  kind  of  mill-horse.  Are  there 
no  prospects  for  him  ?  Has  he  no  influence  to  push 
him  on  ?" 

"  Yes,  he  has  one,  I  think  I  may  say  two  friends  now 
who  will  see  to  that.  I'm  one  of  the  two — and  I  think 
I'm  speaking  to  the  other,"  I  said,  quietly.  "And 
between  us  we  ought  to  do  something.  But  he's  as  proud 
as  Lucifer,  and  a  mere  hint  that  we  were  at  the.back  of 
anything  of  the  kind  would  make  him  kick." 

"  If  poor  A.  B.  C.  were  alive " 

"  Then,  my  dear  Mrs.  Curwen,  you  would  never  have 
been  in  Madrid,  and  would  never  have  known  Mayhew." 
She  shrugged  her  shapely  shoulders,  smiled,  and  then 
said  with  unusual  earnestness  :  "  And  will  you  really  let 
me  help  you  in  trying  to  get  him  a  step  or  two  up  the 
ladder?" 

"  I  mean  to  have  him  in  London,  and  to  make 
the  people  at  home  understand  that  he  has  a  head  on 
his  shoulders  fit  for  better  things.  Why,  if  Silas  only 
had  money  to  back  his  brains,  there's  nothing  he  might 
not  do  or  be.  But  there,  I've  finished  my  breakfast !  " 
I  exclaimed,  getting  up  from  the  table,  thinking  I  had 
said  enough.  "  And  now,  where  is  Mercy  ?  " 

"  Will  you  shake  hands  on  that  bargain,  Lord  Glis- 


SUSPENSE  365 

foyle  ? "  she  asked,  her  eyes  bright  with  the  thoughts  I 
knew  I  had  started.  We  shook  hands  gravely,  as 
became  such  a  compact,  and  I  looked  straight  into  her 
eyes,  as  I  said  in  as  earnest  a  tone  as  hers :  "  The 
woman  who  marries  Silas  Mayhew  will  have  a  husband 
in  a  hundred  thousand,  true,  honest-hearted,  straight 
and  good  right  through.  And  now,  where  is  Mercy  ?  " 
She  returned  my  look,  coloured  slightly,  and  some  reply 
sprang  to  her  lips,  but  she  checked  it,  and  turning 
away,  said  :  "  Sebastian  Quesada's  sister  came  here, 
and  the  two  girls  are  closeted  together,  waiting  for 
you." 

"And  you  have  kept  me  here  all  this  time  !  "  I  cried. 

"  I  was  bound  to  see  to  your  health." 

"  You  are  as  anxious  for  my  health,  I  believe,  as  I 
am  for  your  happiness,"  and  with  that  I  hurried  away, 
leaving  her  blushing  very  prettily. 

I  found  Dolores  looking  very  white  and  worn,  and  in 
a  mood  of  deep  dejection.  She  and  Mercy  had  been 
weeping  together  in  the  sympathetic  exchange  of  such 
confidence  and  consolation  as  their  ignorance  of  each 
other's  tongue  and  mutual  indifferent  knowledge  of  the 
French  language  would  allow. 

"  She  is  in  terrible  trouble,  Ferdinand,  do  try  and 
relieve  her.  Her  heart  is  almost  broken  by  the  fearful 
strain  of  her  sorrow,"  said  Mercy,  getting  up  to  leave 
as  I  entered. 

"  You  do  not  understand  things,  Mercy,  but  I  will  do 
what  I  can." 

"Your  sister  is  an  angel,  Lord  Glisfoyle,"  said 
Dolores,  as  the  door  closed  behind  Mercy.  "  I  am 
almost  ashamed  to  come  to  you,  but  I  could  not  keep 
away.  She  has  told  me  what  I  knew,  of  course,  how 


366    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

good  and  generous  and  noble  you  are.  Cannot  you  do 
what  I  asked  you  yesterday  ?  I  heard  of  your  second 
visit  to  us  last  night,  and  all  through  the  night — such  a 
night  of  agony  for  me — I  have  been  feeding  my  soul 
with  the  hope  that  you  came  to  make  some  agreement." 

"  Where  is  your  brother  ?  I  am  truly  pained  to  see 
you  like  this." 

"It  does  not  matter  about  me  ;  nothing  of  that  kind 
can  matter  now,"  she  answered  in  a  tone  deadened  by 
sorrow.  "  I  should  not  come  to  you  for  such  a  paltry 
object  as  my  own  troubles.  It  is  for  Sebastian  I  am 
thinking.  But  you  don't  seem  to  understand  how  I  feel, 
how  this  fearful  thing  has  shut  upon  me  like  the  closing 
walls  of  an  Inquisition  prison  cell,  until  whichever  way 
I  stretch  out  my  hands  I  find  ruin  crushing  in  upon 
me,"  and  she  moved  her  hands  like  one  distraught  with 
terror  and  trouble. 

"  What  can  I  do  ? "  I  asked,  gently. 

"  Can't  you  try  and  see  what  all  this  has  meant  to 
me  ?"  she  asked  wildly,  ignoring  my  question.  "  What 
I  suffered  when  I  knew  that  Sebastian  meant  to  ruin 
you,  to  involve  you  in  this  terrible  Carlist  business,  to 
have  you  proclaimed  as  Ferdinand  Carbonnell,  the 
desperate  Carlist  leader,  imprisoned  and  sent  Heaven 
alone  knew  where,  to  suffer  the  fate  and  the  punish- 
ment which  such -a  man  would  rightly  suffer  ?  What 
could  I  do  but  step  in  to  save  you  ?  You  know  his 
reluctance,  the  struggle  we  had,  the  wild  words  he 
spoke  of  your  ruining  him,  and  then  how  he  broke  his 
pledged  word  to  me  ?  And  yet  to  save  you  meant  to 
ruin  him  !  Holy  Mother  of  God,  what  was  I  to  do  ?  " 
and  she  wrung  her  hands.  "  I  could  not  see  you 
wronged  in  this  way ;  and  yet  as  my  reward  am  I  to 


SUSPENSE  367 

see  him  dragged  down,  his  reputation  destroyed,  his 
position  degraded,  his  very  name  a  foulness  in  the 
mouths  of  the  populace  ?  Is  this  your  English  sense 
of  honour  and  recompense  ?  No,  no,  I  don't  mean 
that.  I  know  you  are  just  and  honourable.  I  am  crazed 
with  my  trouble  to  speak  such  words  to  you." 

"  Where  is  your  brother  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  know.  You  drove  him  to  desperation  last 
night.  He  left  this  house  almost  directly  you  had  gone  ; 
and  returned  late,  and  was  gone  again  this  morning 
before  I  could  get  word  with  him.  He  is  like  a  mad- 
man ;  and  what  he  will  do  in  his  madness,  who  can 
tell  ?  "  The  fears  that  lay  beneath  her  wild  words  were 
the  same  as  had  been  pressing  so  keenly  on  me,  yet 
what  to  do  to  avert  them  was  more  than  I  could  see. 

"  If  you  do  not  know  where  he  is,  what  can  we  do  ? " 
I  asked. 

"  Give  me  those  compromising  papers,  and  let  me 
find  him  and  prove  that  the  danger  he  fears  is  at  an 
end  ?  He  will  then  do  anything  you  ask.  You  do  not 
know  him.  He  is  stern,  hard,  implacable  when  op- 
posed, but  he  is  not  dead  to  feelings  of  generosity. 
An  act  like  that  would  touch  him  to  the  core,  and  he 
would  do  anything  you  asked — nay,  let  me  know  what 
it  is  you  wish,  and  I  would  pledge  myself  that  he  would 
do  it."  She  pleaded  urgently  and  almost  imploringly, 
but  I  could  not  yield. 

"  I  cannot  do  that.  Only  last  night  he  likened  this 
struggle  between  us  to  a  duel,  and  you  would  ask  me 
to  disarm  myself  and  throw  away  the  only  means  by 
which  I  can  hope  to  win  my  way.  I  am  sorry,  deeply 
and  sincerely  sorry,  but  this  is  impossible." 

"You  would  see  him  dragged  into  the  dirt  for  the 


368   SARITA,   THE    CARLIST 

rabble  to  spit  upon  !  "  Her  changing  mood,  as  she  was 
swayed  first  by  thoughts  for  me  and  then  by  those  for 
her  brother,  was  painful  to  witness. 

"  He  did  not  hesitate  to  have  me  treated  as  a  criminal, 
senorita  ;  he  has  set  me  at  defiance  and  refused  every- 
thing I  asked  ;  and  I  cannot  put  myself  and  others  at 
his  mercy.  But  I  will  do  this.  Let  him  set  Sarita 
Castelar  free,  and  stay  this  Carlist  persecution,  and  I 
will  give  up  the  documents  he  fears,  and  say  nothing 
of  what  I  know.  More  than  that  I  cannot  offer  you  ; 
and  even  that  must  depend  upon  the  senorita  being  free 
before  I  am  placed  in  a  position  which  compels  me  to 
take  action  against  him." 

",jWhat  does  that  mean  ?  How  long  will  you  give 
me  ?  I  must  have  time  to  find  him.  I  cannot  do  any- 
thing without  time.  You  are  iron  to  me  in  your  madness 
for  this  girl." 

"  Unfortunately  I  am  not  free  to  name  any  time.''  I 
was  not.  I  did  not  yet  know  what  measures  Mayhew 
had  taken,  and  whether  he  had  communicated  with  the 
Palace.  My  summons  to  the  King  might  come  at  any 
hour,  and  I  was  compelled  to  hold  myself  free  to  speak 
all  I  knew  with  regard  to  Quesada  in  my  interview 
there.  At  the  same  time  Dolores'  acute  distress  of 
mind,  and  the  knowledge  of  what  she  had  done  for  me, 
filled  me  with  a  desire  to  help  her  ;  while  personally,  I 
was  anxious  to  get  Sarita  from  Quesada's  grip  at  the 
earliest  possible  moment,  and  to  leave  Spain.  Under 
pressure  of  these  thoughts,  I  added  :  "  This  I  can 
assure  you,  I  would  far  rather  the  matter  ended  as 
you  wish,  and  will  give  you  every  possible  moment  of 
time." 

"  I  will  go,"  she  answered  promptly.     "  I  depend  on 


SUSPENSE  369 

you.  You  have  given  me  some  hope,  if  not  much.  If 
I  fail  with  Sebastian  " — and  she  closed  her  eyes  and 
sighed  in  the  agony  of  the  thought — "  I  will  let  you 
know  at  once." 

"And  I  will  do  nothing  without  first  sending  word 
to  you,"  I  promised  in  reply. 

We  parted  then,  and  when  she  left  the  room  I  found 
Mayhew  waiting  for  me  in  the  corridor. 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

AT  THE  PALACE 

«  "\7"OUR  lady  visitors  call  early,  Ferdinand,"  said 
Mayhew,  rather  drily. 

"  Yes,  rather  embarrassing,  isn't  it?  But 
what  news  have  you  for  me  ?  What  happened  yester- 
day ? " 

"  More  than  enough  to  prove  that  you  are  a  person 
of  considerable  importance,  I  can  tell  you.  When  I 
got  your  message  by  that  exceedingly  sharp  lad,  Juan, 
that  you  were  arrested,  I  went  straight  to  the  chief, 
and  within  an  hour  a  protest  was  in  the  hands  of  the 
Spanish  Government,  couched  in  terms  calculated  to 
make  them  sit  up,  I  promise  you,  and  very  soon  the 
whole  machinery  was  at  work  to  get  you  out.  They  de- 
nied all  knowledge  of  you,  however  ;  but  I  expect  a 
good  deal  would  have  happened  to-day  if  you  hadn't 
been  set  at  liberty.  I  told  the  chief  this  morning,  how- 
ever, that  you  were  here,  and  he  wants  to  see  you.  And 
that's  about  all — unless  you  want  the  details." 

"  Did  you  send  any  word  to  the  Palace?  " 

"  No,  I  kept  that  in  reserve  for  to-day  as  a  broad- 
side, and,  of  course,  I  said  nothing  to  anyone  about  the 
papers  you  left  with  me." 

"  Good  ;  just  as  I  should  have  expected  from  you. 
And  now,  I'm  going  to  tell  you  the  whole  mess,  and 


AT   THE    PALACE         371 

just  see  what's  best  to  be  done  ;"  and  I  gave  him  a 
pretty  full  account  of  everything  that  had  happened. 

"  You're  right,  it  is  a  devil  of  a  mess,"  was  his  com- 
ment when  I  finished.  "  What  do  you  suppose  Que- 
sada's  sister  can  do  ? " 

"  I  haven't  a  notion.  I'm  just  at  the  end  of  my 
wits,  and  can't  for  the  life  of  me  see  what's  to  be  done." 

"  There's  one  thing  you  may  safely  reckon  on,  and 
it  isn't  a  pleasant  thing  anyway — that  that  beggar  is 
sure  to  have  a  trump  card  up  his  sleeve  that  will  most 
likely  outplay  your  best.  He's  the  most  cunning  beg- 
gar in  all  Spain.  He's  been  in  heaps  of  tight  corners 
before,  and  wriggled  out  just  when  it  seemed  impossible. 
And  he  won't  give  in  now,  you  bet.  I  tell  you  what  he's 
likely  to  do — he  knows  just  as  well  as  lots  of  others, 
that  he's  the  pivot  of  the  whole  Government  ;  the  one 
man  for  instance,  who,  in  the  popular  view,  can  wage 
this  threatened  war  with  the  States  with  some  chance 
of  success  ;  and  I  wouldn't  be  one  little  bit  surprised 
if  he  trumps  you  with  a  change  of  front  and  declares 
for  war.  You  don't  know  as  much  as  I  do  of  Spanish 
politics,  and  can't,  therefore,  understand  the  holy  mess 
that  would  follow  here  if  the  war  came.  He'd  be  the 
only  man  able  to  guide  things  ;  and  in  such  a  case  you 
might  hammer  at  him  in  vain." 

"  But  these  documents,  Livenza's  statement,  my  own 
knowledge,  Sarita  Castelar's  evidence  ! "  I  cried,  in 
protest. 

"  Strong  enough  in  England,  perhaps  ;  but  he'd  deny 
everything  ;  and  do  you  think  anyone's  going  to  care 
two  pence  about  them  if  the  nation  is  in  danger.  He'd 
say  the  letters  were  forgeries  ;  pop  Livenza  into  prison, 
or  bribe  or  threaten  him  to  change  face  ;  the  lady  is 


372   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

already  safe  in  his  charge,  and  as  a  Carlist  wouldn't 
be  believed  even  if  she  were  at  liberty  ;  and  your  state- 
ment would  be  listened  to  politely,  and  then  disregarded 
as  that  of  an  enemy  of  Spain  and  a  friend  of  America. 
I'm  sorry  to  discourage  you,  but  you  asked  my  advice 
and  that  is — don't  count  on  your  weapons  as  he  called 
them,  and  don't  believe  for  a  moment  that  you  can 
really  do  him  any  harm.  He  sits  too  firm  in  the  saddle." 

"  But  he  told  his  sister  that  I  could  ruin  him,  and  he 
showed  the  fear  by  wanting  to  make  me  fight  him." 

"  Mere  play-acting,  Ferdinand,  nothing  more.  He 
wanted  to  get  the  papers  back  quietly  if  he  could,  and 
the  quietest  and  safest  way  would  have  been  to  have 
you  arrested  as  Carbonnell,  the  Carlist,  and  sent  some- 
where into  the  far  provinces,  and  probably  knocked  on 
the  head  by  the  way  or  shot  in  mistake — the  kind  of 
mistake  that  does  happen  at  times.  His  sister  ap- 
pears to  have  cut  that  plan  short,  and  naturally  he  tells 
her  she  must  get  the  papers  back,  if  she  could.  But  if 
she  couldn't,  it  didn't  follow  that  he  wasn't  quite  pre- 
pared to  face  you.  Don't  make  the  mistake  of  think- 
ing he  will  give  up  a  jot  or  tittle  of  any  plan  he  has, 
whether  public  or  private  ;  he  never  has  been  known 
to  yet,  and  even  you  will  never  make  him,  strong  as 
your  case  would  be  in  any  other  country  and  against 
any  other  man.  It's  part  of  his  constitution,  my  dear 
fellow.  He's  got  all  the  energy  and  resource  of  a 
present  day  American  with  all  the  confounded  pride 
and  stiff-necked  doggedness  of  an  Old  Castile  noble.  A 
rummy  combination,  but  the  devil  to  fight." 

"I  shan't  give  in,"  I  said,  firmly.  "And  that  I  take 
it  your  advice  is  that  I  should." 

Mayhew  shrugged  his  shoulders  significantly. 


AT   THE    PALACE         373 

"  I'd  make  it  different  if  I  could.  I'm  very  sorry,  for 
I  can  guess  what  it  means  to  you  ;  but  you've  no 
chance  ; "  and  he  shook  his  head,  hopelessly,  "  Shall 
we  go  and  see  the  chief?  " 

"I  shan't  give  in,"  I  said  again  ;  but  I  am  free  to 
confess  that  his  counsel  of  despair  had  great  effect 
upon  me,  and  I  went  to  the  Embassy  in  a  very  de- 
spondent mood. 

I  was  closeted  with  the  chief  a  considerable  time, 
while  I  gave  such  account  of  my  experiences  as  I 
deemed  advisable,  and  was  questioned  and  cross-ques- 
tioned, and  advised  and  congratulated  in  the  customary 
official  manner,  and  finally  counselled  to  return  to  Eng- 
land. A  pointed  question  from  me  drew  the  reply  that 
this  last  advice  was  the  result  of  a  request  from  the 
Spanish  Government,  and  I  did  not  fail  to  see  in  it  the 
hand  of  Quesada. 

My  answer  was  an  evasive  one,  to  the  effect  that  I 
would  go  so  soon  as  I  had  wound  up  such  private 
affairs  as  I  had  to  conclude  in  Madrid. 

I  rejoined  Mayhew,  feeling  both  ill  at  ease  and  out 
of  temper.  A  half-day  had  passed,  and  I  had  done 
nothing  toward  effecting  Sarita's  release  ;  while  the 
hours  were  flying,  and  no  word  came  from  Dolores, 
My  apparent  helplessness  in  other  respects  increased 
my  anxiety  to  hear  that  she  had  been  successful  with 
her  brother  ;  for  I  was  fast  coming  round  to  Mayhew's 
gloomy  view  of  the  position. 

Then  came  another  complication.  When  we  went  to 
the  Hotel  de  1'Opera,  I  found  there  an  urgent  summons 
from  the  Palace.  News  of  my  arrest  and  liberation  had 
reached.the  young  King,  and  he  desired  me  to  go  to  the 
Palace  that  afternoon.  I  scribbled  a  note  to  Dolores 


374  SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

Quesada,  telling  her  I  could  not  wait  for  news  from  her 
after  three  o'clock — the  hour  appointed  for  the  inter- 
view, and  sent  Mercy  with  it,  Mayhew  accompanying 
her. 

The  reply  to  this  put  the  climax  to  my  anxiety.  It 
ran  thus  : 

"  Alas,  my  friend,  I  can  do  nothing.  I  have  just  seen 
Sebastian,  who  is  now  in  a  quite  different  mood.  He 
laughs  at  the  thought  of  your  doing  him  any  harm. 
'Let  him  do  his  worst.  He  can  but  break  himself  on 
the  wheel  of  his  own  efforts  ; '  were  his  words.  I  am 
distracted  with  misery." 

I  showed  it  to  Mayhew,  who  read  it  thoughtfully. 

"  It  could  not  be  worse,"  he  said.  "  He  has  put  the 
senorita  in  a  safe  place,  and  is  going  to  play  the  trump 
card  that  I  was  sure  he  had  in  reserve  somewhere. 
You  should  have  accepted  his  challange  and  shot  him. 
Only  one  thing  can  beat  Quesada — and  that's  death." 

"  I  will  do  my  best  all  the  same,"  I  answered  ;  and 
in  this  mood  I  set  out  for  my  interview  at  the  Palace, 
revolving  on  the  way  all  the  possible  expedients  that  I 
could  adopt  to  win  even  part  of  my  purpose  against 
the  powerful  enemy  who  held  his  way  with  such  grim 
tenacity  and  inflexible  resolve. 

My  reception  at  the  Palace  might  have  flattered  even 
Royalty  itself.  When  I  was  ushered  into  the  presence, 
the  young  King  came  running  to  me,  laying  aside  all 
attempt  at  dignity,  and  smiling  with  pleasure  as  he 
held  out  his  hands  liked  a  pleased  child. 

"  My  Englishman  of  Podrida,  at  last !  "  he  exclaimed, 
and  he  led  me  to  the  Queen  Mother,  who  was  gracious- 
ness  itself. 

"You  have   kept  the  words  of  gratitude  too   long 


AT    THE    PALACE          375 

prisoners  in  my  heart,  my  lord.  The  Queen  would 
chide  you,  but  the  mother's  heart  is  too  full  for  any- 
thing but  welcome  for  the  man  who  saved  her  son." 

"  I  trust  your  Majesties  will  pardon  me.  The  delay 
has  been  due  to  causes  as  full  of  trouble  as  of 
urgency." 

"  My  son  has  told  me  of  your  daring  rescue,  but  I 
wish  to  hear  it  again  from  you.  I  am  so  anxious  to 
know  all,  that  I  would  have  the  tale  even  before  your 
own  anxieties  which,  if  we  can,  you  must  let  us  help 
you  to  dispel." 

"  I  have  the  mask  here,  my  lord,"  cried  the  King, 
with  all  a  boy's  eagerness,  bringing  it  out  of  a  pocket. 

"The  story  is  a  very  simple  one,  your  Majesty,"  I 
said,  and  then  in  as  few  words  as  I  could,  I  told  it. 
She  listened  with  the  closest  attention,  questioning  me 
now  and  again  on  such  points  as  interested  her  most, 
or  where  she  wished  greater  detail  ;  and  when  I 
described  how  the  King  was  seized  and  carried  into 
the  carriage,  and  again  how  I  had  found  him  fastened 
down  and  disguised,  she  clasped  the  boy  to  her,  and 
her  changing  colour  and  quickened  breath  gave 
evidence  of  her  concern  and  emotion. 

"  And  you  were  alone  through  it  all  ?  "  she  exclaimed, 
when  I  finished. 

"  Fortune  favoured  me  or  I  could  not  have  succeeded, 
Madame.  Had  not  the  two  men  following  the  carriage 
met  with  an  accident,  I  could  have  done  nothing.  As 
it  was,  the  surprise  of  my  attack  did  what  no  strength 
of  arm  or  skill  or  wit  could  have  accomplished." 

"Do  not  call  it  fortune  ?  It  was  rather  the  hand  of 
Heaven  guarding  my  dear  son's  safety,  and  you  were 
the  chosen  instrument.  And  should  you  know  those 


376   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

miscreants  again  ?"  Her  tone  hardened  and  her  eyes 
flashed,  as  she  put  the  question  ;  and  I  thought  then  I 
could  discern  the  feeling  which  had  had  as  much  to  do 
with  her  impatience  at  my  delay  in  coming  to  the 
Palace  as  her  desire  to  thank  me.  She  was  burning  with 
all  a  Spaniard's  hot  eagerness  for  revenge.  But  it 
was  not  my  cue  to  strike  at  the  agents,  and  my  reply 
was  guarded. 

"  It  is  possible  that  if  they  were  face  to  face  with  me, 
I  could  identify  them  ;  but  the  thing  was  hurried,  the 
work  of  no  more  than  a  few  moments,  and  my  English 
eyes  are  not  sufficiently  accustomed  to  distinguish 
between  Spanish  faces." 

"  Ah,  I  am  disappointed,"  cried  the  Queen,  frowning. 

"But  I  can  do  more  than  identify  the  men  who 
actually  did  the  ill-work,  Madame ;  I  know  by  whose 
hidden  hand  the  wires  of  the  plot  were  pulled." 

"  Tell  us  that,  and  you  will  add  a  thousand  times  to 
the  obligation  that  Spain  and  we  owe  you,  my  lord," 
she  exclaimed,  strenuously.  "Who  is  the  arch- 
traitor  ?" 

"I  shall  have  need  of  your  Majesty's  patient  indul- 
gence." 

"  And  you  will  not  ask  it  in  vain,  Lord  Glisfoyle,  if 
you  do  not  seek  it  for  these  villainous  Carlists,  who 
would  have  robbed  me  of  my  son  and  dealt  this  foul 
blow  at  Spain."  Then  with  a  quick  thought,  she  asked : 
"  But  how  comes  it  that  you,  an  English  nobleman,  here 
in  Madrid  no  longer  than  a  few  weeks,  can  have  learnt 
these  things  ? "  I  believe  I  could  detect  a  touch  of 
suspicion  in  her  manner ;  and  the  King  looked  up 
sharply  into  her  face  and  then  across  at  me. 

"  By   a   coincidence   in   regard   to   my   name,    your 


AT   THE    PALACE         377 

Majesty.  I  came  to  Madrid  but  a  short  time  ago  to  join 
the  staff  of  the  British  Embassy  ;  I  was  not  then  Lord 
Glisfoyle  ;  and  by  a  chain  of  coincidences  some  of  the 
plans  of  the  misguided  Carlists  became  known  to  me." 

"  Do  you  mean  you  knew  of  this  intended  plot  against 
my  son  ? " 

"There  are  always  rumours  and  reports,  Madame, 
and  such  gossip  was,  of  course,  current  in  your  capital — 
and  equally,  of  course,  well  known  to  your  Government 
and  officials.  But  this  was  different ;  and  the  definite 
tidings  came  to  me  at  a  time  and  in  a  form  which  made 
it  impossible  for  me  to  act  otherwise  than  as  I  did." 

"  What  was  your  name  then,  if  not  Lord  Glisfoyle  ? " 
she  broke  in. 

"Ferdinand  Carbonnell,  the  younger  son  of  my  late 
father." 

"  Ferdinand  Carbonnell  !  Ah,  then "  the  sen- 
tence remained  unfinished,  and  I  stood  in  silence  watch- 
ing her  and  waiting  for  the  conclusion.  I  could  guess 
her  thought. 

"  Ferdinand  Carbonnell  is  a  well-known  Carlist 
leader,  Lord  Glisfoyle,"  and  she  spoke  in  a  tone  that 
augured  but  ill  for  my  success. 

"  And  for  that  Carlist  leader  I  was  mistaken,  your 
Majesty,  and  working  through  that  strange  mistake, 
Providence  enabled  me  to  rescue  your  son  from  a  far 
worse  fate  than  that  which  any  Carlist  ever  designed. 
In  following  this  strange  double  career  I  carried  my 
life  in  my  hands,  risking  misunderstanding  at  the  hands 
of  your  Majesty's  agents,  and  putting  my  life  to  the 
hazard  of  any  Carlist  discovery  of  my  real  character." 

"  You  cannot  doubt  him,  mother,"  cried  the  King, 
protestingly. 


378    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"  You  have  said  too  much  or  too  little,  my  lord.  I 
beg  you  to  speak  frankly." 

"  I  would  ask  your  Majesty  by  whose  advice  it  was 
that  yourv  son  came  to  be  in  such  a  case  as  made  this 
attempt  possible  ? "  I  said  ;  and  the  question  went 
home,  for  she  started  quickly. 

"  By  the  advice  of  my  Ministers,  who  felt  that  our 
confidence  in  the  people  should  be  shown  in  a  way 
which  all  could  see  for  themselves.  Do  you  propose  to 
arraign  my  Government  on  a  charge  of  treason  ? " 

"  I  do  not  arraign  your  Government  as  a  whole,  your 
Majesty  ;  but  what  if  it  were  proved  to  you  that  one  of 
them,  discontented  with  his  present  power  and  influence, 
great  though  they  be,  had  aimed  to  make  them  greater  ; 
had  thought  that  under  the  Republican  form  of  Govern- 
ment there  were  wider  scope  for  his  ambition  ;  and  had 
planned,  therefore,  a  double  stroke  of  policy — say,  for 
instance,  the  removal  of  your  son  from  the  Throne, 
using  the  Carlists  for  his  purpose,  and  at  the  same  time 
preparing  to  crush  their  power  when  he  had  used  them, 
employing  the  very  pretext  of  the  plot  as  the  cause  of 
his  drastic  measures  of  repression  ?  What  if  there  be 
a  man  in  your  confidence  who  designed  to  overthrow 
the  Monarchy,  and  climb  on  the  ruins  of  the  Throne  to 
the  place  of  supreme  power  in  the  country  as  President 
of  a  Republic  to  be  proclaimed  ?  What  if  these  plans 
were  all  laid  and  settled  in  every  detail ;  and  yet  made 
with  such  consummate  skill  and  shrewdness,  that  even 
the  crumbling  of  the  corner-stone — this  attempt  on  His 
Majesty — still  left  him  higher,  firmer,  and  stronger  in 
position  and  influence  than  ever  ?  What  if  the  subtle 
organisation  by  which  this  Carlist  rising  has  been 
crushed  almost  in  a  day  was  the  outcome,  not  of  a 


AT   THE   PALACE         379 

desire  to  save  His  Majesty's  throne  from  attack,  but 
of  an  intention  to  break  down  what — should  the  Mon- 
archy be  no  longer  in  existence — would  have  been  the 
,one  remaining  possible  obstacle  to  this  man's  success  ? 
Would  your  Majesty  say  that  these  Carlists  or  the  arch- 
plotter  were  the  more  to  be  feared,  the  more  culpable, 
the  more  dangerous  ?  " 

I  spoke  with  rising  vehemence,  and  my  daring  words 
frightened  both  my  hearers.  The  Queen  was  almost 
pale  when  I  ended. 

"  You  cannot  make  this  good,  my  lord.  I  cannot 
believe  it." 

"  Yet  every  word  is  true  and  can  be  made  good.  The 
man  I  mean  is  your  most  powerful  Minister — Senor 
Sebastian  Quesada." 

"  It  cannot  be.  It  is  impossible,"  cried  the  Queen. 
"  You  frighten  me,  my  lord.  What  proofs  have  you  ?  " 

The  intense  impression  created  by  my  charge,  embold- 
ened me  to  go  a  step  farther  and  place  all  on  the 
cast.  The  Queen  was  so  agitated,  and  the  young 
King  so  deeply  and  keenly  moved  by  my  words,  that  I 
could  not  fail  to  see  what  weight  would  attach  to  any 
request  I  put  while  they  were  in  that  mood  ;  and  tak- 
ing my  fortune  boldly  in  both  hands,  I  resolved  to  risk 
everything  on  the  chance  of  my  being  able  to  prove  my 
charge  against  Quesada.  Mayhew's  words  of  despon- 
dent caution  recurred  to  me,  but  my  ears  were  deaf 
to  everything  save  the  one  absorbing  purpose  that 
swayed  me. 

"  His  Majesty  was  good  enough  on  the  day,  when 
under  Providence  I  was  able  to  snatch  him  from  the 
hands  of  his  enemies,  to  promise  to  grant  me  such 
request  as  I  might  prefer.  You,  Madame,  to-day,  with 


380  SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

gracious  sympathy  at  the  mention  of  my  cares  and 
anxieties,  expressed  the  generous  desire  to  help  me. 
May  I  entreat  you  then,  remembering  what  I  have  done, 
to  grant  me  a  favour  should  I  make  good  my  words, 
and  bring  home  to  the  real  traitor  this  treachery  against 
your  august  family  and  your  throne?" 

"  You  would  make  conditions,  my  lord  ? " 

"  Your  Majesty,  I  am  but  a  suppliant." 

"  What  is  this  favour  ? " 

"  That  your  Majesties  will  be  graciously  disposed  to 
pardon  the  unfortunate  dupes  who  have  been  misled  by 
the  man  who  has  used  them  for  his  own  purpose  ? " 

"  It  is  impossible,  Lord  Glisfoyle,  utterly  impossible. 
You  cannot  mean  this.  Stay,  I  have  heard  a  possible 
reason  for  this  strange  request.  I  have  heard  your 
name  coupled  with  one  of  the  most  daring  of  these  Car- 
lists — a  Senorita  Castelar — by  whose  influence  we  are 
told  Ferdinand  Carbonnell,  the  Englishman,  took  up 
the  role  of  Ferdinand  Carbonnell,  the  Spanish  Carlist. 
Has  this  anything  to  do  with  this  favour  you  ask? " 

"  Your  Majesty,  the  dearest  wish  of  my  life  is  to  make 
the  Senorita  Castelar  my  wife  ;  as  the  farthest  thought 
of  hers  would  be  to  make  me  a  Carlist.  I  trust  that 
my  acts  have  shown  this  for  me,  rendering  mere  pro- 
tests needless." 

"  Mother  !  "  cried  the  young  King,  eagerly,  like  the 
staunch  little  champion  of  my  cause  that  he  was. 

"  These  are  matters  of  deep  state  importance,  and  we 
cannot  follow  only  our  inclinations,"  said  his  mother  in 
rebuke  ;  and  the  tone  was  hard  and  unpromising.  "We 
cannot  make  any  such  promise  as  a  condition ;  but  if 
you  prove  your  charge — and  put  to  the  proof  it  must 
be — the  double  claim  you  will  have  upon  us  will  make 
it  hard  to  resist  whatever  you  ask.  I  can  say  no  more," 


AT   THE    PALACE         381 

"  I  leave  the  appeal  to  your  Majesty's  heart,"  I  an- 
swered, with  a  deep  obeisance.  "And  I  will  make 
good  my  words  now  and  here."  I  drew  out  then  the 
compromising  letters  in  Quesada's  handwriting,  and 
placing  them  in  the  Queen's  hands,  I  told  her  at  great 
length  and  with  all  possible  detail  the  story  of  the 
Minister's  treachery. 

To  this  narrative  she  listened  with  even  more  en- 
grossed attention  than  to  my  former  one  of  her  son's 
rescue  ;  and  as  I  drove  home  point  after  point  and  saw 
them  tell,  I  felt  that  I  was  winning  her  to  my  side  all 
reluctantly  and  dead  against  her  prejudice  in  her  Min- 
ister's favour,  until  she  herself  admitted  that  the  route 
of  the  young  King's  drive  and  the  lack  of  guards  on 
that  eventful  afternoon  had  been  suggested  by  Quesada 
himself. 

At  the  close  she  was  so  overcome  that,  feeling  em- 
barrassed, I  asked  leave  to  withdraw  ;  but  she  detained 
me  and  gradually  put  aside  her  weakness. 

"  I  still  cannot  believe  it,  Lord  Glisfoyle  ;  but  it  shall 
be  tested  to  the  uttermost  and  every  means  of  investi- 
gation shall  be  exhausted.  On  that  you  have  my  word. 

And  now "  she  had  got  as  far  as  that  when  there , 

came  an  interruption,  and  a  message  was  brought  that 
an  immediate  audience  was  craved  by  one  of  the  Sec- 
retaries of  State  on  a  matter  of  the  deepest  urgency. 

"  You  will  not  leave  the  Palace,  my  lord.  .  I  wish  to 
see  you  again,"  and  I  withdrew  to  an  ante-room  to 
await  her  pleasure.  I  was  satisfied  with  what  I  had 
done ;  and  as  I  sat  thinking  over  the  interview,  I 
noticed  signs  of  much  excitement  and  commotion ; 
messengers  kept  coming  and  going  quickly  ;  high 
dignitaries  and  officials  were  hurrying  this  way  and 


382    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

that,  and  the  number  of  people  in  the  great  chamber 
increased  largely,  all  talking  together  in  clusters,  scared 
in  looks  and  excited  in  manner,  although  subdued  in 
tone. 

Presently  the  infection  of  the  general  excitement 
spread  to  me,  and  looking  about  me  I  caught  sight  of 
one  of  the  two  officers  who  had  come  to  me  at  the 
Hotel  de  1'Opera  on  the  night  of  the  King's  rescue, 
Colonel  Vasca,  and  I  went  up  to  him. 

"Is  there  any  special  news  to  cause  this  commo- 
tion ?"  I  asked,  when  we  had  exchanged  greetings. 

"  Is  it  possible  you  have  not  heard  it  ?  The  Minister 
of  the  Interior,  Senor  Quesada,  has  been  assassinated 
within  the  last  hour  in  his  own  house." 

"  Quesada  dead  !  "  I  exclaimed  in  profound  astonish- 
ment. And  then  by  a  freak  of  memory  Mayhew's 
words  recurred  to  me — "  Only  one  thing  will  ever  beat 
Quesada — and  that's  death."  "  How  did  it  happen  ? 
Who  was  the  assassin  ?"  I  asked. 

"  Some  villain  of  a  Carlist,  it  is  believed,  in  revenge 
for  the  blow  which  the  Government  have  just  struck  at 
them.  But  they  will  pay  a  heavy  price  for  so  foul  a 
deed." 

My  heart  sank  within  me  at  the  news.  I  realised  in 
an  instant  what  it  must  mean  to  my  poor  Sarita  and 
everyone  leagued  with  her,  and  I  went  back  to  my 
seat  overwrought  and  half-distracted.  She  had  indeed 
sown  the  wind  to  reap  the  whirlwind,  and  I  could  not 
hope  to  save  her. 

When  at  length  the  summons  came  for  me  to  return 
to  the  Queen  Regent,  I  followed  the  messenger  almost 
like  a  man  in  a  dream. 


CHAPTER   XXXII 

LIVENZA'S  REVENGE 

THE  young  King  was  no  longer  with  the  Queen  Re- 
gent when  I  entered,  and  I  found  two  or  three 
of  the  chief  Ministers  of  State  in  conference 
with  her. 

The  news  of  the  assassination  had  caused  profound 
dismay,  intensified  in  the  case  of  the  Queen  Regent  by 
the  fact  that  it  had  followed  with  such  dramatic  swift- 
ness upon  the  heels  of  my  charges  against  the  power- 
ful and  favourite  Minister. 

"  You  have  heard  of  this  fearful  deed,  Lord  Glis- 
foyle  ? "  was  the  Queen's  question  on  my  entrance. 

"  I  have  learnt  it  within  the  last  few  minutes  in  the 
ante-chamber,  your  Majesty." 

"  I  have  told  my  lords  here  the  strange  charges  you 
brought  against  Senor  Quesada.  Do  you  still  maintain 
them  ?" 

"  In  every  word  and  detail,  Madame,"  and,  at  her  re- 
quest, I  repeated  to  them  everything  I  had  said  before. 

"  It  is  certainly  a  most  extraordinary  story,"  said  one 
of  them,  the  Duke  of  Novarro,  Minister  of  War,  in  a 
tone  which  suggested  unbelief  and  hostility. 

"And  the  most  extraordinary  part  of  it,  my  lord,"  I 
replied,  "  is  the  fact  that  he  was  enabled  to  lay  all  these 
plans  without  anyone  of  his  colleagues  or  associates  hav- 
ing a  suspicion  of  the  truth.  No  doubt  if  the  dead  man's 


papers  are  secured  in  time,  they  will  yield  abundant 
proof  of  everything."  The  hint  was  acted  upon  at 
once,  and  messengers  were  despatched  to  see  that  this 
was  done. 

"  Can  you  throw  any  light  upon  the  motive  for  this 
deed  ?  "  asked  the  Duke. 

"  I  have  not  heard  the  actual  circumstances,  but  the 
Minister  was  a  man  who  had  made  many  enemies, 
private  as  well  as  public.  I  should  look  for  the  mur- 
derer among  his  private  enemies."  And  even  as  I 
spoke,  my  own  words  prompted  a  thought,  and  the 
closing  scene  at  Calvarro's  farm  flashed  across  my  mind. 

"  Do  you  mean  you  would  not  set  this  down  to  Car- 
list  feeling  ? "  he  asked  next,  in  the  same  tone  of  un- 
belief. 

"  It  was  an  act  of  private  revenge,  no  more  and  no 
less,"  I  answered  firmly,  "  and  I  believe  that  I  can  find 
the  means  to  prove  it  so."  The  suggestion  was  wel- 
come to  all  present.  The  murder  of  a  colleague  from 
private  motives  was  obviously  a  far  less  disturbing 
event  to  Ministers  than  an  assassination  designed  as  a 
protest  against  Ministerial  policy.  But  the  Duke  was 
none  the  less  hostile  to  me. 

"  Her  Majesty  has  informed  us  that  your  lordship 
has  gone  so  far  as  to  request  an  amnesty  for  these  Car- 
lists  as  the  return  for  the  services  you  have  rendered 
to  the  nation  and  the  Throne  by  the  rescue  of  the 
King.  But  you  will  of  course  understand  that,  now  at 
any  rate,  such  a  request  cannot  be  conceded." 

"  His  Majesty  himself  gave  me  a  pledge  that  such 
favour  as  I  asked  should  be  granted,"  I  returned. 

"  His  Majesty  is  too  young  to  understand  the  needs 
of  policy,  my  lord ;  and  the  pledge  was  given  before 


LIVENZA'S    REVENGE  385 

this  had  occurred.  Everything  is  changed  by  such  a 
deed." 

"  His  Majesty  is  not  too  young  to  keep  his  word,"  I 
retorted,  bluntly. 

"  The  pardon  of  any  individual  conspirator  might 
still  be  granted,  Lord  Glisfoyle,"  interposed  the  Queen, 
pointedly,  "  provided  no  complicity  in  this  were  found." 
I  understood  her  meaning,  but  would  not  yield  my 
point. 

"  I  have  your  Majesty's  gracious  assurance  that  in 
the  event  of  my  proving  the  charges  I  have  brought, 
my  claims  would  be  hard  to  resist  whatever  the  favour 
I  asked." 

"  You  surely  cannot  think  of  pressing  this,  now," 
was  her  reply,  with  a  dash  of  surprise. 

"  Most  respectfully  I  must  press  it  with  all  the  power 
and  force  at  my  command  ;  and  with  all  submission  to 
your  Majesty,  I  am  bound  to  say,  I  can  prefer  no  other 
and  no  less  request.  There  is  no  proof  that  this  is  a 
Carlist  outrage." 

My  firmness  was  altogether  unwelcome,  and  the 
Queen  and  her  Ministers  showed  both  irritation  and 
impatience  at  my  persistence.  But  I  cared  nothing  for 
that.  I  was  fighting  for  what  I  believed  would  be  the 
one  certain  method  of  winning  Sarita  and  removing  her 
last  objections,  and  I  would  not  give  way. 

"  Your  solicitude  for  these  miscreants  is  out  of  place, 
my  lord,  and  what  you  ask  is  a  sheer  impossibility," 
said  the  Duke,  haughtily.  "Any  further  insistence 
must,  as  you  will  see,  wear  a  curious  look.  These 
wretches  are  none  the  less  traitors  because  their  first 
plot  failed.  This  second  stroke  has  not  failed." 

"  Had  the  man  who  has  met  this  tragic  death  sue- 


386   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

ceeded  in  his  project,  my  lord  Duke  ;  if  the  young 
King  were  not  only  abducted  but  put  to  death  ;  if  the 
Monarchy  had  been  overthrown  and  a  Republic  pro- 
claimed in  its  place  ;  if  Her  Majesty  here  were  an  exile 
from  her  kingdom,  yourselves  in  danger,  and  the 
country  in  the  throes  of  a  bloody  revolution,  would  you 
have  deemed  it  then  too  great  a  price  to  have  paid  for 
the  stroke  which  would  have  prevented  everything? 
That  was  what  the  rescue  of  the  young  King  meant, 
nothing  less  ;  and  it  will  not  be  affected  by  Senor 
Quesada's  death,  if  I  can  prove  it  to  have  been  a  pri- 
vate act.  But  as  you  will,"  I  said,  indignantly,  after  a 
moment's  pause,  "  I  trusted  to  the  royal  pledge,  and  if 
you,  my  lords,  advise  that  the  royal  word  of  honour 
shall  be  broken,  I,  of  course,  can  say  no  more.  May  I 
crave  your  Majesty's  permission  to  withdraw?" 

It  was  a  bold  stroke,  but  it  did  more  to  help  me  than 
hours  of  argument  and  wrangling.  At  the  mention  of 
her  son's  death  the  Queen  winced  and  grew  suddenly 
pale,  and  came  over  at  once  to  my  side. 

"  What  Lord  Glisfoyle  urges  is  true,  gentlemen,"  she 
said,  "  and  he  who  saved  the  King,  my  son,  cannot  be 
allowed  to  find  my  ears  deaf  to  his  plea.  What  you 
ask,  Lord  Glisfoyle,  shall  be  granted,  if  you  can  prove 
this  crime  to  be  no  Carlist  outrage,  and  if  my  influence 
and  my  son's  will  stand  for  aught  in  the  councils  of 
Spain."  She  spoke  proudly  and  almost  sternly,  and  the 
others  were  as  much  discomfited  as  I  was  elated. 

"  I  beg  your  Majesty  to  pardon  my  frankness  of 
speech,"  I  said,  with  the  utmost  deference,  "  and  to 
accept  my  most  earnest  and  heartfelt  gratitude.  I 
believe  that  already  I  know  where  to  look  for  the  man 
who  has  done  this,  and  with  your  permission  will  at 


LIVENZA'S    REVENGE  387 

once  set  about  the  search.  May  I  ask  that  the  powers 
and  services  of  the  police  may  be  placed  at  my  dis- 
posal ? " 

"  You  shall  have  anything  and  everything  you  desire, 
Lord  Glisfoyle.  If  you  desire  to  leave  at  once  the 
necessary  authority  shall  be  sent  after  you  to  your 
hotel." 

I  bowed  myself  out  then,  and  drove  in  hot  haste  to 
the  Hotel  de  1'Opera  in  search  of  Mayhew.  The  news 
of  the  assassination  of  Quesada  had  reached  the  hotel, 
and  I  found  them  all  in  a  mood  of  deep  concern,  and 
full  of  anxiety  to  learn  the  result  of  my  long  interview 
at  the  Palace. 

"  I  have  not  time  for  a  word  now,  except  that  I  have 
gained  all  I  wished  on  one  condition — that  I  trace  the 
man  who  killed  Quesada,  and  prove  it  murder  and  not 
a  Carlist  assassination." 

"  But  you  cannot,"  cried  Mayhew.  "  It's  all  over  the 
city  that " 

"  I  can  and  will,"  I  broke  in.  "But  listen,  my  dear 
fellow.  Important  documents  will  come  to  me  from  the 
Palace  in  a  few  minutes.  I  am  going  now  to  Quesada's 
house,  and  I  wish  you  to  bring  them  to  me  there  the 
instant  they  arrive  ;  "  and  without  waiting  another  mo- 
ment I  was  hurrying  away,  when  my  sister  cried  : 

"  Let  me  come  with  you,  Ferdinand.  That  poor  girl 
will  be  in  such  sorrow." 

"  A  good  thought,  Mercy.  Quick  ; "  and  we  drove 
away  together. 

But  at  Quesada's  I  met  with  a  check.  The  police 
were  in  possession  of  the  house  and  would  not  admit 
me,  though  I  urged  and  insisted  and  stormed  in  turns. 
Senor  Rubio  was  there  in  charge,  and  nothing  would 


388   SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

move  him.  There  was  no  option,  therefore,  except  to 
await  the  arrival  of  the  necessary  authority  ;  and  scrib- 
bling a  hasty  note  to  the  Duke  of  Novarro  to  tell  him 
the  state  of  matters  and  to  urge  despatch,  I  sent  Mercy 
with  it  to  the  Palace  in  search  of  him. 

Then  I  tried  to  curb  my  impatience  while  I  waited, 
and  to  occupy  the  time  I  made  an  examination  of  the 
outside  of  the  house  in  the  possible  hope  of  some  dis- 
covery which  might  help  me. 

I  was  thoroughly  convinced  that  the  murder  was  the 
act  of  Juan  Livenza,  and  that  I  should  find  he  had  been 
at  the  house  and  had  seen  Quesada.  I  could  not  get  a 
single  question  answered,  however,  and  even  my  scru- 
tiny of  the  exterior  of  the  house  and  the  grounds 
brought  police  interference. 

But  this  was  not  before  I  had  seen  that  which  set  me 
thinking  hard.  The  window  of  the  library  in  which  I 
had  last  seen  Quesada,  the  room  he  chiefly  used,  over- 
looked the  garden  at  the  rear,  and  one  of  the  panes  of 
glass  was  broken.  An  examination  of  the  stonework 
underneath  it,  and  of  the  ground  immediately  below, 
revealed  marks  which  seemed  to  tell  me  how  such  a 
deed  might  well  have  been  committed. 

One  or  two  branches  of  a  shrub  close  to  the  wall  were 
broken  and  bent,  and  one  of  the  stone's,  which  projected 
beyond  the  rest  sufficiently  to  afford  a  precarious  foot- 
hold, was  slightly  chipped  and  scraped  on  the  edge. 
It  was  just  such  a  mark  as  might  have  been  caused  by 
a  man  standing  on  it  to  look  into  the  window,  and  on 
making  the  experiment  I  found  that  a  man  of  Livenza's 
height,  which  was  about  my  own,  could  easily  have 
grasped  the  stone  sill,  looked  into  the  room,  and  fired 
a  revolver  through  the  broken  pane. 


LIVENZA'S    REVENGE  389 

Just  as  I  had  made  this  discovery  the  police  ordered 
me  away  from  the  house,  and  I  went  back  to  the  front 
to  wait  for  my  tarrying  authority.  Mercy  brought  it. 
The  Duke  had  been  at  the  Palace,  and  on  the  receipt  of 
my  note  had  given  her  a  paper  which  he  declared  would 
do  all  I  wished  until  the  more  formal  authority  should 
be  ready. 

Armed  with  this  I  summoned  Rubio,  showed  it  him, 
and  with  my  sister  was  admitted  to  the  house.  I  sent 
her  at  once  in  search  of  Dolores  while  I  questioned 
Rubio. 

"  You  see  my  authority,  Senor  Rubio ;  be  good 
enough  to  tell  me  all  you  know  of  the  matter,  and  as 
quickly  as  possible." 

"  We  know  very  little  as  yet.  His  Excellency  was 
alone  in  the  library  when  I  arrived  to  see  him  on  busi- 
ness. The  servant  took  my  name  to  him,  and  came 
running  back  in  alarm,  crying  that  he  was  lying  dead  on 
the  floor,  having  dropped  out  of  his  chair  where  he  had 
been  sitting.  He  was  as  dead  as  a  coffin,  shot  through 
the  head,  here  in  the  temple,"  and  he  put  his  hand  to 
hig  own  head  to  indicate  the  place. 

"  How  do  you  suppose  it  happened  ?  " 

"  No  one  can  tell,  senor.  He  had  been  dead  perhaps 
half  an  hour,  so  the  doctors  said  ;  no  one  was  with  him, 
and  no  one  was  known  to  have  seen  him  for  perhaps  an 
hour  before  that  time.  No  cry  was  heard  ;  no  sound, 
indeed  ;  and  yet  he  was  dead.  The  Carlists  must  have 
obtained  admission  to  the  house  secretly,  and  have 
escaped  as  they  came." 

"  Take  me  to  the  room,"  I  said,  and  he  led  the  way 
in  silence.  "  Show  me  exactly  where  he  was  found." 
He  pointed  out  the  spot  "  Now  just  sit  in  that  chair 


390   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

a  moment;  "  and,  much  wondering,  he  took  his  seat  at 
Quesada's  writing  table.  I  stood  on  the  side  away 
from  the  window,  and  a  glance  was  enough  to  show  me 
that  his  head  was  in  a  direct  line  with  the  broken  pane 
of  glass. 

"Was  the  window  fastened  ?"  I  asked. 

"  Yes,  I  myself  examined  it." 

"  That  broken  pane  of  glass  ? " 

"  It  was  broken  by  his  Excellency  himself  to-day, 
and  he  had  given  orders  for  the  repair  of  it." 

The  answer  surprised  me,  but  a  moment's  reflection 
showed  me  what  might  have  happened. 

"  How  came  it  broken,  and  when  ;  do  you  know  ? " 

"  How,  I  do  not  know  ;  but  it  was  done  when  Colonel 
Livenza  was  here  to-day,  closeted  with  his  Excellency. 
They  were,  as  perhaps  you  know,  senor,  closely  asso- 
ciated together."  There  was  a  furtive,  half  eager,  half 
alarmed,  and  wholly  cunning  look  on  Rubio's  face, 
which  sent  the  thought  flashing  upon  me  that  he  could 
say  a  good  deal  of  Quesada's  private  matters  if  he 
pleased. 

"I  know  much  more  than  you  think,  Senor  Rubio. 
These  two  were  close  friends,  you  say  ;  did  they  part 
to-day  on  friendly  terms  ? " 

"  I  was  not  here,  senor,"  was  the  guarded  reply. 

But  I  could  read  the  facts  without  his  help.  Livenza 
had  come  to  demand  an  explanation,  and  intended,  no 
doubt,  to  wreak  his  revenge  on  the  spot.  There  had 
been  a  quarrel,  and  probably  some  kind  of  tussle,  in 
which  this  window  had  been  broken.  Livenza  had  for 
some  reason  abstained  from  shooting  Quesada  there 
and  then  ;  but  he  had  been  quick  to  see  that  if  he  left 
and  went  round  to  the  back  of  the  house,  he  could  fire 


LIVENZA'S    REVENGE  391 

at  his  victim  through  the  broken  window,  and  kill  him 
without  anyone  suspecting  the  act.  I  got  some  con- 
firmation of  this  theory  by  questioning  the  servant, 
who  had  seen  his  master  after  Livenza  had  left  the 
house,  and  had  noticed  that  he  was  unusually  excited 
and  angry. 

There  was  the  fact  that  no  sound  of  a  pistol  shot  had 
been  heard  ;  but  the  room  had  double  doors  and  a 
heavy  portiere  curtain,  and  this  might  well  account  for 
such  a  thing.  I  was,  at  any  rate,  satisfied  with  my 
theory,  and  while  I  was  with  Rubio,  Mayhew  arrived 
with  the  official  papers  placing  the  police  services  at 
my  disposal.  I  showed  them  to  him,  and  they  increased 
his  apprehension. 

"I  shall  do  all  I  can  to  help  you,  senor,"  he  assured 
me,  nervously. 

"  You  will  find  it  safer,"  said  I,  significantly.  lt  Have 
any  of  Senor  Quesada's  papers  been  removed  ? " 

"  None,"  he  answered,  with  a  slight  start. 

"  Well,  then  my  friend  Mr.  Mayhew  here,  of  the 
British  Embassy,  will  remain  and  see  that  everything  is 
sealed.  And  now  tell  me,  do  you  suspect  anyone  of 
this  murder  ? " 

"  It  is  the  work  of  the  cursed  Carlists,  of  course. 
His  Excellency's  life  was  more  than  once  attempted 
by  them." 

"  Put  that  idea  out  of  your  head.  This  was  a  private 
crime,  and  .we  have  to  bring  it  home  to  the  murderer. 
Where  is  Senorita  Castelar  ? "  I  put  the  question 
abruptly,  and  looked  at  him  fixedly.  He  started  very 
uneasily. 

"  She  could  not  do  it." 

"  I  am  perfectly  aware  of  that,  but  I  must  know  at 


392     SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

once  where  she  is.  Understand,  your  future  will  depend 
upon  your  answering  me  frankly.  You  know  quite  well 
where  she  is,  for  you  have  been  Senor  Quesada's  instru- 
ment in  all  that  business.  When  you  arrested  her  at 
the  station  yesterday,  where  did  you  take  her,  and  to 
what  place  did  you  remove  her  afterwards?" 

"  She  was  taken  to  the  prison  of  San  Antonio,  and 
afterwards  removed  by  his  Excellency's  orders — I  don't 
know  where." 

"  I  don't  believe  you,"  I  said,  bluntly.  "  I  know 
you  are  lying,  indeed,  and  if  you  don't  tell  me  the  truth 
on  the  spot,  the  first  use  I'll  make  of  this  authority  will 
be  to  have  you  clapped  into  gaol  yourself,  and  the 
whole  of  your  private  papers  searched.  And  you  know 
as  well  as  I  what  we  shall  find  among  them.  I'll  give 
you  two  minutes  to  choose." 

"  I  don't  know,  senor,  I  don't,  upon  my  soul ;  and,  by 
the  Holy  Saints,  I  swear  I  don't,"  he  cried,  eagerly, 
panic-stricken  by  the  threat. 

"  One  of  your  minutes  is  gone.  Silas,  call  up  a 
couple  of  the  gendarmes  ;  "  and  Mayhew  turned  to  the 
door. 

"  Stop,  senor,  stop  for  the  love  of  Heaven.  I  don't 
know.  I  wish  to  help  you  ;  I  swear  I  do.  But  I'm 
innocent  of  everything.  Give  me  time  to  think." 

"  Your  innocence  wears  a  strange  dress,  Rubio,  and 
I  won't  give  you  another  second." 

"  I  can  tell  you  what  I  think,  senor,"  said  the  bully, 
trembling  like  a  child.  "  It  is  most  likely  his  Excellency 
would  have  had  the  senorita  taken  to  a  house  at 
Escorias,  which  I  believe  he  had  prepared  for 
her." 

"  If  your  thoughts  are  wrong  you'll  find  yourself  in  a 


LIVENZA'S    REVENGE  393 

hole.  Now,  a  last  question.  Is  it  possible  that  Colonel 
Livenza  can  have  found  this  out  in  any  way  ? " 

"  Mother  of  Angels,  I  believe  I  see  it  now,"  he 
exclaimed,  excitedly,  and  then  was  silent. 

"You  are  either  hiding  some  fact  or  hatching 
another  lie,"  I  said,  sternly.  "  I  should  have  thought 
you  could  see  the  danger  of  that  with  me." 

"  I  will  tell  you,  senor,  I  will,  indeed,  everything.  I 
came  to  this  house  this  afternoon  in  consequence  of  a 
message  from  his  Excellency.  He  had  for  some  time 
had  a  suspicion  that  Colonel  Livenza  had  played  him 
false — there  was,  I  believe,  something  in  which  you  your- 
self were  concerned  with  the  colonel.  A  warrant  was 
made  out  and  handed  to  me,  and  I  was  to  wait  for 
further  instructions  before  making  the  arrest.  This 
afternoon  his  Excellency  rang  me  up  on  the  telephone 
— his  instrument  is  on  the  table  here,  you  see — and  he 
was  speaking  to  me  when  the  message  broke  off 
suddenly.  He  had  got  as  far  as  this — '  Go  to  Escorias 
and  execute  the  warrant  I  gave  you  recently  to  arrest 

'  There  it  stopped,  and  I  remember  now  there  was  a 

sharp  noise  I  could  not  understand.  I  thought  some- 
thing was  wrong  with  the  wires.  I  waited  for  him  to 
speak  again,  and  when  nothing  came  through  I  spoke 
to  him  and  rang  the  bell.  But  I  could  get  no  answer, 
and  in  the  end  thought  it  best  to  come  to  the  house  for 
further  instructions.  I  thought  he  might  wish  the 
senorita  removed  again,  and  came  up  to  see." 

"  Then  you  did  know  where  she  was,"  I  said,  point- 
edly. "  And  I'm  glad  you  see  the  prudence  of  treating 
me  frankly.  How  do  we  get  to  Escorias  ?  " 

"  We  can  drive  in  less  than  two  hours,  senor."  I  rang 
the  bell  and  ordered  the  fastest  pair  of  horses  in  Que- 


394   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

sada's  stable  to  be  put  in  at  once,  and  while  waiting  for 
them,  told  Mayhew  what  I  wished  in  regard  to  the  dead 
man's  papers.  As  soon  as  the  carriage  came,  I  took 
Rubio  and  one  of  his  assistants  with  me,  and  ordered 
the  coachman  to  drive  at  top  speed  to  Escorias. 

Everything  seemed  clear  to  me  now,  and  this  unex- 
pected development  filLJ  me  with  a  new  fear  for 
Sarita's  safety.  Livenza,  full  of  his  wild  passion  for 
revenge,  had  gone  to  Quesada,  and  a  fiery  interview 
had  taken  place  between  the  two,  in  which  the  Minis- 
ter's old  ascendancy  over  the  weaker  man  had  so  far 
asserted  itself,  that  the  latter  had  been  unable  to  carry 
out  his  purpose  in  the  room.  He  had  either  discovered, 
or  Quesada,  with  the  probable  object  of  pacifying  him, 
had  told  him  where  Sarita  was  detained,  and  had  very 
likely  suggested  that  he  should  go  and  take  her  away 
at  once — calculating  with  diabolical  cunning  that  the 
temptation  to  Livenza  to  see  her  again  and  have  her  in 
his  power,  would  prove  irresistible.  In  this  way  the 
Minister  had  saved  his  life  for  the  moment,  and  when 
Livenza  had  left,  Quesada  had  planned  to  have  him 
arrested.  In  the  meantime,  the  murderer  had  seen  his 
way  to  achieve  both  his  purposes — to  kill  his  victim 
secretly,  by  shooting  him  from  the  garden,  through  the 
broken  window,  and  then  to  rush  off  to  Sarita.  He  had 
thus  probably  heard  the  broken  telephone  message  be- 
ing spoken,  and  at  the  dramatic  moment  when  Que- 
sada's  attention  would  be  fixed  on  the  telephone  and  his 
ears  covered  by  the  receivers,  the  shot  had  been  fired 
with  instantly  fatal  results. 

So  certain  was  my  belief  in  my  theory,  and  so  vivid 
the  impressions  I  had  gathered,  that  I  could  picture  in 
my  thoughts  every  step  and  act  in  the  progress  of  the 


LIVENZA'S    REVENGE    395 

tragedy.  But  there  was  one  question  I  could  not  an- 
swer :  and  the  thought  of  it  filled  me  with  an  acute 
pang  of  alarm. 

What  were  Livenza's  intentions  in  regard  to  Sarita  ? 

In  the  room  at  Calvarro's  farm,  his  passion  for  her 
had  been  at  first  chilled  by  his  fear  of  me,  and  then 
dominated  by  the  even  fiercer  passion  of  revenge  upon 
the  man  who  had  duped  and  out-witted  him.  But  this 
thirst  for  revenge  had  now  been  sated  by  the  death  of 
Quesada,  and  who  could  say  what  wild  form  the  recru- 
descence of  the  mad  love-passion  would  assume  ? 

Sarita,  as  I  knew  from  her  own  lips,  had  fooled  him. 
She  had  allowed  him  to  make  love  to  her  ;  had  possibly 
fed  his  passion  with  subtle  but  dangerous  suggestions 
of  a  response  to  his  love  ;  and  had  won  him  for  the 
Carlists  by  these  desperate  means  because  no  others 
were  present  to  her  hand.  My  own  words  of  warning 
to  her  recurred  to  me  ;  and  if  he  succeeded  in  forcing 
his  way  to  her  now  that  his  enemy  and  master  was 
dead,  what  limit  could  I  believe  he  would  place  to  his 
violence  ? 

I  had  always  regarded  him  as  a  man  liable  to  be 
driven  by  passion  across  the  borderland  between  sanity 
and  madness  ;  he  had  passed  through  more  than  one 
crisis  of  acute  mental  shock  within  the  last  few  days  ; 
and  it  was  more  than  probable  that  the  deed  of  blood 
he  had  just  committed,  itself  the  act  of  a  madman, 
would  suffice  to  rob  him  of  the  last  vestige  of  sane  re- 
sponsibility. 

He  would  go  to  Sarita  with  the  blood  of  their  mutual 
oppressor  still  hot  on  his  murderous  hands,  and  if  we 
were  not  in  time  to  save  her  from  him,  what  hope  was 
tnere  for  her?  I  knew  how  she  would  receive  him  ; 


396   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

and  the  thought  maddened  me  until  in  my  burning  im- 
patience I  could  not  sit  still,  but  thrust  my  head  out  of 
the  carriage-window  to  urge  the  driver  constantly  to 
fresh  exertions,  although  we  were  already  travelling  at 
headlong  speed. 

I  was  on  fire  with  eagerness,  and  racked  with  alarm 
at  the  looming  possibility  of  failure,  even  when  all  had 
gone  so  well. 


CHAPTER   XXXIII 

THE    HUT    ON    THE    HILLSIDE 

NO  speed  that  the  driver  could  get  out  of  the 
mettlesome  horses  was  swift  enough  to  keep 
pace  with  my  fears  or  to  ease  the  pricking 
of  my  alarms. 

Our  route  to  Escorias  lay  along  the  road  where  I  had 
followed  and  rescued  the  young  King,  and  as  we  flew 
along,  bumping,  jolting  and  swaying,  covering  the  level 
road  at  the  gallop,  dashing  down  and  rattling  up  the 
hills,  I  could  measure  the  distance  by  the  different 
spots  which  were  fixed  in  my  memory  by  the  incidents 
of  that  memorable  ride. 

"  How  far  is  it  beyond  Podrida  ? "  I  asked  Rubio, 
having  to  shout  the  question  to  make  myself  heard 
amid  the  clatter  and  racket  of  the  jolting  carriage. 

"  At  this  pace,  half  an  hour,"  came  the  reply,  in  jerks. 
"  If  we  reach  there  without  a  smash."  My  answer  was 
to  lean  out  once  more  and  shout  to  the  driver  to  hurry  ; 
and  then  I  threw  myself  back  in  my  seat,  folded  my 
arms,  and  yielded  myself  up  anew  to  the  torture  of  my 
distracting  thoughts. 

I  tried  to  estimate  how  long  a  start  Livenza  would 
have  of  us,  how  far  he  could  be  in  advance,  and  what 
time  he  would  have  for  the  execution  of  the  plan  he  had 
formed,  whatever  that  might  be.  And  my  lowest  calcu- 
lation alarmed  me. 


393   S  A  RITA,    THE    CARLIST 

The  murder  had  been  committed  about  two  hours  and 
a  half  before  I  had  got  to  Quesada's  house  ;  I  had  been 
there  about  one  hour  ;  and  thus  Livenza  would  have 
three  and  a  half  hours'  start  of  us.  From  this  we  might 
deduct  the  time  he  would  spend  in  Madrid  before  set- 
ting out  for  Escorias  ;  but  as  he  would  be  in  fear  of 
discovery,  I  dared  not  hope  that  he  would  remain  a 
minute  longer  than  would  be  necessary  to  procure  a 
horse  or  some  kind  of  conveyance.  His  own  horses 
would  be  at  his  immediate  disposal,  of  course  ;  and  if 
he  had  had  them  at  hand,  he  might  have  started  the 
instant  after  he  had  shot  his  enemy.  This  would  give 
him  quite  three  hours'  start,  even  allowing  for  the 
quicker  pace  at  which  we  were  following  in  pursuit. 
And  in  three  hours  what  could  he  not  do  ? 

There  was,  of  course,  room  to  hope  that  he  might 
have  had  to  return  to  his  house  to  make  some  prepara- 
tions for  his  flight ;  and  I  harassed  and  worried  myself 
with  a  hundred  speculations  about  this  :  whether  he 
would  not  have  gone  to  Quesada's  with  everything  in 
readiness  for  flight  ;  or  whether  he  had  thought  that  he 
would  be  taken  at  once,  or  even  killed  by  Quesada,  and 
had  thus  set  his  affairs  in  order  before  going.  To 
speculate  on  his  actions  in  such  a  case,  was,  however, 
of  no  more  value  than  to  count  the  waves  on  the  sea- 
shore ;  and  I  got  no  further  than  an  ever-consuming 
desire  for  yet  greater  speed. 

"  Close  there  now,  senor,"  cried  Rubio,  at  last,  look- 
ing out  of  the  window  into  the  gloom.  "  A  few 
minutes." 

"  Thank  Heaven  for  that,"  I  exclaimed,  fervently. 

"  And  that  we've  escaped  a  smash  at  that  mad  pace." 
We  had  left  the  high  road,  and  were  going  less  rapidly 


HUT  ON  THE  HILLSIDE    399 

along  a  narrow  country  lane,  and  could  speak  without 
so  much  effort.  "  It's  going  to  be  a  wild  night,"  he 
added. 

"  I  wish  we  were  there,  or  rather  that  we  could  have 
been  there  two  hours  ago." 

"  I  think  we  shall  be  in  time,  senor.  The  place  is 
not  easy  to  find.  I  think  it  will  be  all  right  there." 

When  the  carriage  stopped  I  sprang  out,  followed  by 
Rubio,  and  hurried  up  to  the  house,  which  lay  back 
some  distance  from  the  lane,  along  a  rough,  ill-kept 
carriage  drive. 

"  It's  evidently  all  right,  senor.  If  anything  had 
happened  we  should  see  some  signs  of  it,"  said  my 
companion,  as  he  knocked  loudly.  A  man  opened  the 
door,  and  touched  his  forehead  as  he  recognised  Rubio. 
"Good  evening,  Carlos.  All  well  here?" 

"All  well,  Senor  Rubio  ;  "  and  at  the  word  I  breathed 
a  deep  sigh  of  relief. 

"  The  senorita  is  well,  Carlos  ?" 

"Quite  well,  Senor  Rubio,  and  in  her  rooms." 

"  No  visitors,  I  suppose  ?  "  was  asked,  casually. 

"  Yes,  senor  ;  Colonel  Livenza,  from  his  Excellency, 
has  been  here." 

"  Been  here  ? "  I  cried,  in  surprise.  "  Tell  us,  quickly, 
what  you  mean  ?  " 

"  He  came  with  a  letter  from  his  Excellency,  to  see 
the  senorita.  He  brought  some  urgent  news,  he  said, 
and  he  was  with  her  about  half  an  hour,  and  then  left." 

"  How  long  ago  was  that  ? " 

"  He  has  been  gone  maybe  an  hour,  or  perhaps  less." 

"  Quick  work,"  muttered  Rubio.  "  Show  the  senor 
here  to  the  senorita's  rooms,"  he  added,  to  the  man. 
"  Shall  I  go  with  you,  senor?" 


400  SARITA,   THE    CARLIST 

"  No,  wait,  please,"  I  answered,  following  the  man 
upstairs,  my  heart  beating  quickly  at  the  thought  of 
seeing  Sarita  again.  He  went  up  to  the  floor  above, 
the  rooms  of  which  were  shut  off  from  the  staircase  by 
a  door  which  I  saw  had  been  recently  placed  there. 
This  he  unlocked  and  stood  aside  for  me  to  pass. 

"  The  first  door  on  the  right  is  the  sitting-room, 
senor,"  he  said,  respectfully,  and  I  went  to  it  and 
knocked.  Getting  no  reply,  I  knocked  again  loudly  ; 
and  again  failing  to  get  any  response,  my  fears,  that 
after  all  something  was  wrong,  began  to  revive.  I 
knocked  a  third  time,  and  still  getting  no  answer  tried 
to  open  the  door,  and  found  it  locked  on  the  inside.  I 
called  Sarita,  loudly,  by  name  then,  knowing  my  voice 
would  re-assure  her,  and  when  no  response  came,  I  tried 
the  other  doors  and  found  them  locked  like  the  first,  on 
the  inside. 

I  called  up  Rubio  then. 

"  Does  the  senorita  generally  lock  her  doors  ? "  I 
asked  Carlos. 

"  I  have  never  known  her  to  do  it  before,  senor." 

"  Something  is  wrong  ;  we  must  break  our  way  in  ;  " 
and  I  sent  Carlos  down  at  once  for  tools. 

"  What  can  it  mean  ?  "  he  said,  in  a  tone  of  dismay  ; 
and  as  soon  as  the  tools  were  brought  he  set  about 
forcing  an  entrance. 

"  Did  you  see  the  senorita  after  Colonel  Livenza 
left  ? "  I  asked  the  man. 

"  My  wife  did,  senor.  She  said  she  was  tired,  and 
complained  of  a  headache,  and  that  she  would  go  to 
bed  early,  and  asked  us  to  keep  the  house  quiet  and  not 
disturb  her." 

"She  has  gone,"  I  exclaimed,  as  the  meaning  of  it  all 


HUT  ON  THE  HILLSIDE   401 

rushed  upon  me.  "He 'brought  with  him  the  means  for 
her  to  escape,  and  under  some  pretext  induced  her  to 
fly,  after  she  had  lulled  the  suspicions  of  these  two 
with  this  plea." 

And  so  it  proved.  The  rooms  were  empty  ;  and  an 
open  window,  from  which  hung  a  knotted  rope  fastened 
to  a  bedstead,  told  us  plainly  enough  how  the  escape 
had  been  made.  For  a  moment  my  heart  sank  with 
dismay  at  the  sight ;  but  I  rallied  under  pressure  of  the 
need  for  instant  action. 

"We  must  follow  and  find  them,"  I  said,  promptly. 
"  Which  way  can  they  have  taken  ?  It  is  clear  that  he 
induced  her  to  escape,  and  while  they  were  together 
they  were  making  these  preparations.  He  left  about  an 
hour  ago,  and  as  the  senorita  had  then  to  complete  her 
arrangements  she  cannot  have  been  gone  very  long. 
How  can  we  trace  them  ? "  A  question  to  Carlos  suf- 
ficed to  show  that  they  must  have  left  by  the  lane  we 
had  come  ;  for  it  led  nowhere  but  to  the  house.  They 
had  not  passed  us  on  the  road,  and  it  was  clear,  there- 
fore, that  they  must  have  turned  in  the  opposite  direc- 
tion from  the  capital. 

There  were  two  horses  in  the  stable,  and  I  had  these 
saddled,  and  rode  off  with  Rubio,  ordering  the  carriage 
with  Rubio's  assistant  to  follow  us  at  such  pace  as  the 
coachman  could  get  out  of  the  smoking,  lathered  ani- 
mals who  had  brought  us  so  well  from  Madrid. 

At  first  the  trail  was  broad  and  easy  to  follow.  We 
had  scarcely  turned  into  the  high  road  when  we  met 
some  men,  who  told  us  enough  to  show  that  Livenza 
and  his  companion  were  on  horseback,  riding  at  a  moder- 
ate pace,  and  were  not  more  than  a  mile  or  two  distant. 
We  covered  four  or  five  miles  at  the  gallop,  stopping 


402    SARITA,   THE    CARLIST 

wherever  we  met  anyone  on  the  road  to  make  inquiries ; 
and  it  was  soon  abundantly  clear  that  we  were  over- 
taking them  fast.  They  seemed  to  be  keeping  to  the 
high  road,  for  what  purpose  or  whither  bound  it  was 
impossible  to  guess  ;  nor  did  it  matter  much  so  long  as 
we  were  rapidly  closing  up  to  them. 

Then  the  scent  failed  suddenly.  We  had  rattled 
along  for  a  couple  of  miles  or  so,  and  I  was  expecting 
to  overtake  them  at  any  moment,  when  a  carter  whom 
we  questioned  declared  that  no  one  answering  to  the 
description  had  passed  him.  The  news  was  serious  in- 
deed ;  it  was  now  late,  there  were  few  people  abroad  ; 
the  sparsely-scattered  houses  and  cottages  were  closed, 
and  the  inmates  abed  ;  we  had  passed  more  than  one 
branch  road  ;  and  thus  the  .chances  of  our  tracking 
them  ran  down  to  zero. 

We  turned  our  horses'  heads,  and  at  the  first  of  the 
branch  roads  drew  rein  to  confer.  Rubio  had  no 
stomach  for  the  work  of  further  search,  and  was  for 
doing  no  more  until  we  could  get  sufficient  help  to  con- 
tinue the  hunt  vigorously  the  next  morning  in  the  day- 
light. This,  no  doubt,  was  a  counsel  of  reason  ;  but  I 
was  in  anything  but  a  reasonable  mood,  and  would  not 
listen  to  him — much  to  his  disgust. 

"  We  know  just  about  where  they  were  last  seen  on 
the  high  road,"  I  said.  "  They  can't  ride  about  all 
night  in  these  by-lanes  ;  if  they  were  making  for  any 
definite  town  they  would  have  had  to  stick  to  the  main 
road  ;  and  we  must  take  these  by-roads  in  turn,  and 
ride  a  few  miles  along  each  of  them.  You  follow  the 
first,  and  I'll  take  the  next.  We  shall  find  them  in  that 
way." 
•  "  It  is  useless,  senor.  We  shall  only  wear  ourselves 


HUT  ON  THE  HILLSIDE    403 

and  our  horses  out  to  no  purpose,"  he  protested  ;  but 
I  insisted,  and  sending  him  down  the  first  lane,  I  rode 
on  to  the  next,  and  dashed  along  it  through  the  rain 
that  was  now  falling  in  gusty,  blusterous  squalls. 
But  I  found  nothing  to  help  my  search  ;  not  a  soul  did 
I  see,  not  a  cottage  or  building  of  any  kind  ;  and  with 
something  like  a  groan  of  disappointment,  I  pulled  up 
at  length,  and  began  to  retrace  my  steps. 

Then  what  might  have  been  expected  happened — I 
lost  my  way.  Puzzled  by  the  darkness  I  took  a  wrong 
turning  which,  instead  of  leading  me  back  to  the  high 
road,  brought  me  out  by  a  rough  zig-zag  way  on  to  a 
wild,  bleak  hillside,  where  it  ended  ;  and  I  was  stranded, 
far  away  from  any  sign  of  a  habitation,  in  the  pitch 
darkness,  with  the  wind  howling  round  me  and  the 
rain  falling  in  torrents. 

For  an  hour  or  more  I  groped  about,  having  at  times 
to  dismount  and  lead  my  horse,  until  I  realised  that  I 
was  hopelessly  lost,  and  that  I  had  not  only  no  chance 
of  discovering  Sarita  that  night,  but  should  be  lucky  if 
I  had  not  to  spend  the  night  in  the  open. 

I  was  halting  for  the  twentieth  time  under  the  shelter 
of  trees  to  escape  some  of  the  pelting  rain,  when  my 
luck  turned,  and  I  caught  sight  of  a  glimmer  of  light 
faintly  quivering  through  the  darkness  above  me. 
Where  light  was,  some  human  being  must  be  also,  and 
if  money  or  force  could  prevail,  that  human  being 
should  guide  me  back  to  the  high  road  and  safety  ;  and 
I  led  my  horse  in  a  bee-line  toward  the  light,  stumbling, 
floundering,  and  'slipping  over  the  sloppy,  uneven 
ground,  now  blundering  into  a  ditch  or  sinking  ankle 
deep  into  a  vegetable  patch,  or  almost  breaking  my  shins 
against  stone  heaps,  until  I  found  that  the  light  came 
from  the  window  of  a  cottage. 


404    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

Then  something  happened  to  fill  me  with  the  inspiring 
hope  that  my  good  luck  was  far  better  than  I  could 
have  dared  to  hope.  I  was  close  to  the  cottage  when 
I  ran  up  against  a  couple  of  horses  tethered  to  some 
railings  ;  and  on  running  my  hands  over  them  I  found 
both  were  saddled,  and  that  one  carried  a  side  saddle. 
My  excitement  at  this  was  intense  ;  for  I  believed  that 
luck,  chance,  fate,  Providence,  call  it  what  you  will, 
had  done  what  no  judgment  or  skill  could  have  had 
accomplished,  and  had  led  me  right  to  Livenza's  hiding- 
place. 

In  a  moment,  all  my  instincts  of  caution  were  awake 
again.  I  led  my  horse  away  from  the  others,  fastened 
him  securely,  and  crept  up  to  the  window  where  the 
light  glimmered.  Although  the  rain  and  wind  were 
raging  with  such  violence  that  no  sound  I  made  was  at 
all  likely  to  penetrate  within,  I  picked  my  way  with  the 
utmost  care,  and  stealing  up  to  the  window,  peered  in. 
I  could  not  see  much,  as  there  was  a  dirty  ragged, 
white  curtain,  which  prevented  my  getting  more  than 
a  glimpse  at  one  side  ;  but  I  saw  enough  to  confirm  my 
belief. 

Livenza  was  there.  I  could  see  him  plainly,  as  he 
stood  by  the  door  of  the  room,  leaning  against  it,  his 
arms  folded,  his  head  bent  down,  and  his  features 
moody,  frowning,  and  dogged.  As  I  watched  him  he 
looked  up  toward  the  corner  of  the  room  by  the  win- 
dow, and  in  his  blood-shot,  haggard  eyes  was  a  wild, 
dangerous  light  that  told  all  too  plainly  of  the  fire  of 
insanity.  His  lips  moved,  but  I  could  not  hear  the 
words  ;  and  at  the  instant  a  great  gust  of  wind  rushed 
against  the  small  casement  window,  and  set  it  clatter- 
ing and  shaking  as  though  to  burst  it  in, 


HUT  ON  THE  HILLSIDE    405 

Sarita  I  could  not  see,  but  when  he  spoke  she  made  a 
movement  forward,  which  brought  her  face  into  the 
line  of  light,  and  her  profile  was  silhouetted  for  a  second 
on  the  dirty,  wind-rustled  curtain. 

Turning  then,  I  felt  my  way  to  the  door  of  the  cot- 
tage, only  to  find  it  fast  bolted,  apparently  on  the 
inside.  I  raised  my  riding  whip  to  knock  for  admission 
when  a  thought  stayed  me.  If  I  was  right,  and  Liven- 
za's  mind  had  completely  given  way,  what  would  be  the 
possible  effect  of  any  interruption  ?  I  scented  danger 
plainly.  It  might  drive  him  to  the  instant  execution  of 
any  plan  which  might  have  formed  in  his  mad  brain, 
and  the  very  effort  at  rescue  might  be  only  the  signal 
for  him  to  act.  This  might  mean  nothing  less  than 
Sarita's  death. 

I  went  back  to  the  window,  therefore,  in  deep  per- 
plexity, searching  my  wits  for  some  means  of  ascertain- 
ing how  matters  stood.  He  was  in  the  same  position 
as  before,  and  just  then  another  tempestuous  gust  of 
wind  dashed  against  the  window,  the  casement  of  which 
strained  and  creaked  on  its  hinges.  And  this  gave  me 
an  idea. 

Taking  off  my  overcoat  I  rolled  it  round  my  arm  and 
waited  for  such  another  gust,  when  I  dashed  my  arm 
against  the  casement,  bursting  it  partially  open,  and 
then  drew  back  hastily  into  the  dark. 

A  cry  from  Sarita  was  followed  by  a  shout  from 
Livenza,  who  came  across  hurriedly  to  the  window. 

"  It's  only  the  wind,"  I  heard  him  say  in  a  strident 
tone  as  he  tore  aside  the  curtain.  "  Not  the  police. 
You  needn't  be  afraid  of  interruption."  He  tried  un- 
successfully to  shut  the  small  casement,  the  flimsy  fas- 
tenings of  which  I  had  evidently  smashed.  He  soon 


4o6  SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

abandoned  his  efforts,  with  an  oath  at  the  storm,  and 
re-crossed  the  room.  But  I  could  now  hear  what  passed, 
and,  as  he  did  not  think  to  rearrange  the  curtain,  I  could 
see  everything  clearly. 

For  a  time  not  a  word  was  spoken,  and  then  Livenza 
broke  the  silence. 

"  We  may  as  well  end  this  pretence,  Sarita.  I  have 
lied  to  you.  Your  Englishman  is  not  coming  here,  he 
is  lying  snug,  safely  caged  in  a  gaol  in  Madrid,  and  I 
have  brought  you  here  for  my  own  purposes.  To  tell 
you  again  what  you  once  used  to  let  me  tell  you  freely, 
and  what  you  know  well  enough — that  Hove  you  ;  love 
you,  do  you  hear,  as  no  cold-blooded  English  dog 
knows  how  to  love.  You  are  mine  now,  and  shall 
never  belong  to  another." 

I  saw  Sarita  start,  and  wince  at  the  words.  She 
looked  across  at  him,  and  appeared  to  realise  in  a 
moment  the  extremity  of  the  case,  her  imminent  peril, 
and  his  wild  insanity.  She  hesitated  as  if  calculating 
her  chance  of  either  outwitting  or  struggling  against 
him  ;  and  I  would  have  given  anything  to  have  been 
able  to  let  her  know  I  was  at  hand.  The  dead  calm- 
ness of  her  tone,  as  she  replied,  told  me  how  clearly  she 
understood  her  danger, 

"  I  have  never  let  you  tell  me  that,  Colonel  Livenza,'' 
she  said,  very  quietly, 

"  But  you  knew  it.  You  could  read  it  in  my  eyes, 
in  my  acts,  in  how  I  served  you,  in  my  work  for  the 
Carlists,  in  everything,"  he  answered,  vehemently. 
"  You  are  more  to  me  than  life — you  know  that.  Life, 
do  I  say  " — and  he  laughed — "  Why,  I  have  wrecked 
my  very  soul  for  your  love,  Sarita  ;  and  have  within 
the  last  few  hours  done  murder  that  you  might  be  free 
to  be  mine." 


HUT  ON  THE  HILLSIDE    407 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  she  asked,  in  the  same  clear, 
cool,  even  voice.  She  was  leading  him  to  talk  in  order 
to  gain  time  to  think  and  plan, 

"  What  should  I  mean  but  that  I  have  killed  the  only 
man  who  stood  between  us.  No,  not  your  Englishman," 
he  cried  bitterly,  in  answer  to  her  changing  look.  "  He 
never  stood  between  us.  A  far  stronger  than  he — 
Quesada.  You  told  me  of  his  treachery.  He  gave  you 
to  me,  and  all  the  time  was  scheming  and  lying  that  he 
might  cheat  me  of  you  and  have  you  for  himself.  But 
he  will  lie  and  cheat  no  more  ;  "  and  he  laughed  again, 
wildly  and  recklessly.  "  Unless  he  does  it  in  hell.  He 
is  dead,  do  you  understand,  dead,  shot  through  the  brain 
at  the  very  moment  when  he  was  setting  another  cursed 
trap  for  me." 

I  saw  Sarita  start  in  fear,  then  instantly  recover  her- 
self. 

"  You  did  wrong  to  kill  him,"  she  said,  quietly. 

"Wrong?  Is  revenge  wrong?  Is  justice  wrong? 
Has  he  killed  no  one  ?  Did  he  not  plan  my  murder  ? 
Wouldn't  he  have  ruined  you  ?  Were  you  safe  in  his 
greedy  clutch  ?  Why  chatter  of  wrong  ?  It  was  right  ; 
a  sound,  good,  true,  just  act,  and  had  he  a  hundred 
lives  I  would  take  them  all,  the  hundredth  more  cheer- 
fully than  the  first — for  your  sake,  Sarita.  God,  how 
I  love  you  !  "  he  cried  with  mad  ecstasy.  "  When  you 
told  me  that  night  at  Calvarro's  farm  how  he  had 
cheated  me,  you  signed  his  death  warrant,  Sarita.  I 
went  away  meaning  to  kill  him  and  then  myself,  but 
I  saw  how  to  do  better.  When  I  taxed  him  with  his 
treachery  he  denied  everything,  and  made  me  more 
smooth  promises.  He  was  afraid  to  die  and  told  me 
where  you  were,  that  I  could  go  to  you  and  rescue  you, 


4o8    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

and  have  you  for  my  own,  all  my  own,  Sarita.  And 
then  I  saw  what  I  could  do.  That  I  could  still  kill 
him,  and  then  escape  myself  to  you  and  win  you  ;  and 
I  went  out  from  his  room  and  crept  out  to  the  back  of  his 
house  and  caught  him — doing,  what  think  you  ?  In  the 
very  act  of  sending  a  message  to  his  spies  to  arrest  me 
at  the  place  to  which  he  was  sending  me  to  find  you. 
I  knew  then  he  had  told  me  the  truth,  where  you  were  ; 
and  I  shot  him  and  saw  him  fall  dead  without  a  word, 
without  a  groan  even,  and  I  hurried  away  to  you.  To 
you,  my  love,  my  last  hope  in  life,  my  love,  my  love. 
God,  how  I  burn  for  you  ! "  he  exclaimed  with  fresh 
ecstasy. 

Sarita  shuddered  and  drew  in  her  breath,  at  these 
evident  proofs  of  his  madness. 

"  You  told  me  Lord  Glisfoyle  was  waiting  for  me," 
she  said,  scarce  knowing  in  her  growing  alarm  what  to 
say. 

"Don't  speak  that  name  to  me,"  he  cried  fiercely,  his 
eyes  gleaming  and  his  face  flushing.  "  Any  name  but 
that.  I  lied  to  you,  I  know  it.  I  am  not  ashamed.  A 
man  must  lie  when  love  demands  it.  I  used  him  to  win 
you  away  from  Escorias  ;  and  you  came — came,  never  to 
leave  me  again,  Sarita.  I  love  you  too  well.  If  you  will 
not  love  me,  you  shall  live  to  love  no  other.  I  swear  it. 
But  you  don't  want  to  die,  and  will  learn  to  love  me. 
And  if  you  won't,  here  is  the  love  draught  for  us  both  ;  " 
and  the  brute  took  his  revolver  from  his  pocket,  and 
held  it,  looking  from  it  to  Sarita,  with  eyes  wild  with 
craving,  love,  madness,  and  the  menace  of  death. 

"  You  mean  you  will  murder  me  as  you  have  murdered 
Sebastian  Quesada  ? "  Her  voice  was  perfectly  calm 
as  she  spoke.  No  higher  proof  of  her  consummate 


HUT  ON  THE  HILLSIDE   409 

courage  could  she  have  shown  than  this  exclusion  of  fear 
from  her  voice.  And  she  smiled  and  added  gently, 
"  I  don't  think  you  would  do  that."  But  even  as  she 
spoke  she  glanced  hurriedly  at  the  broken  window  in  the 
hope  of  escape. 

I  stole  away  then  without  waiting  for  more.  I  was 
confident  she  could  hold  him  in  check  long  enough  for 
me  to  effect  her  rescue  if  only  I  could  get  into  the 
house  without  arousing  his  suspicions. 

I  tried  the  door  again,  but  it  was  too  firmly  fastened 
for  me  to  force  it,  and  feeling  my  way  by  the  walls  I 
went  round  to  the  back,  thinking  to  find  there  a  door 
or  window  by  which  I  could  enter.  But  the  back  door 
was  as  firm  as  that  in  the  front,  and  I  had  seen  too 
much  not  to  know  that  the  crash  of  my  entrance,  if  I 
burst  it  in,  would  be  the  signal  for  him  to  shoot. 

There  was  a  small  window  on  the  floor  level,  but  this 
was  not  made  to  open,  and  I  was  afraid  to  smash  the 
glass.  In  the  storey  above  there  was  also  a  window, 
and  to  my  intense  satisfaction,  I  saw  the  casement  was 
open  and  creaking  in  the  wind.  In  a  moment  I  had 
my  plan.  I  ran  to  my  horse  and  led  him  to  the  back 
of  the  house,  making  a  circuit  sufficiently  wide  to  pre- 
vent his  steps  being  heard,  and  fastening  him  under  the 
window  I  quieted  him  while  I  stood  up  in  the  saddle. 
I  was  still  some  way  below  the  window,  but  calculating 
the  distance  as  best  I  could  in  the  dark,  I  sprang  up 
and  managed  to  catch  hold  of  the  sill.  The  rest  was 
easy.  I  drew  myself  up,  and  in  a  minute  was  inside  the 
room. 

Then  I  slipped  off  my  boots,  and  striking  a  light 
found  my  way  out  of  the  room  and  down  the  narrow 
rickety  stairs,  pausing  at  almost  every  step,  in  fear  lest 


410   SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

the  creak  of  the  boards  should  give  notice  of  my 
presence.  But  no  one  heard  me,  and  as  the  floor  at  the 
bottom  was  stone  paved,  I  could  move  with  greater 
freedom.  All  was  still  well  with  Sarita,  and  when  I 
reached  the  door  of  the  room  where  the  two  were,  I 
heard  her  voice,  still  calm  and  firm  with  courage,  as 
she  reasoned  with  Livenza. 

"  Love  is  sweet  and  life  is  sweet,"  I  heard  him  say  in 
answer  to  something  from  her;  "but  death  is  sweeter 
than  all  if  love  be  denied.  If  we  cannot  live  and  love 
we  can  die  together,  Sarita,"  he  said,  in  the  dreary  tone 
of  a  crazed  dreamer. 

I  ran  my  fingers  softly  and  noiselessly  round  the  door 
in  search  of  the  fastening,  and  when  he  began  to  speak 
again,  I  lifted  the  latch  noiselessly  by  imperceptible 
degrees,  and  found  to  my  inexpressible  relief  that  it 
was  unlocked.  The  sands  of  my  patience  had  now  run 
out,  and  I  drew  my  revolver  and  held  it  in  readiness 
for  instant  use.  The  seconds  that  followed  formed  a 
pause  of  acute  suspense.  I  could  hear  Livenza  brush- 
ing against  the  door  on  the  inside  as  he  moved  when 
speaking,  and  taking  advantage  of  a  moment  when  he 
was  in  the  midst  of  one  of  his  mad  rhapsodical  ha- 
rangues, I  nerved  myself  for  a  tremendous  effort,  thrust 
the  door  open  with  all  my  might  and  main,  and  dashed 
into  the  room. 

Thank  heaven,  the  attempt  was  entirely  successful. 
The  door  in  opening  struck  Livenza  with  such  sudden 
violence,  that  it  sent  him  staggering  forward  against 
the  table  in  the  centre,  overthrowing  the  candle  and 
extinguishing  it.  Before  he  could  recover  himself,  I 
had  found  him  in  the  dark,  and  grappling  him  dragged 
him  to  the  floor,  where  he  writhed  and  strained  in  a 
fierce  and  desperate  struggle  for  the  mastery. 


I  HUNG  ON  WITH  A  GRIP  WHICH  HE  TRIED  VAINLY 

TO  SHAKE  OFF." — Page  4ii. 


HUT  ON  THE  HILLSIDE    411 

Sarita  cried  out  in  fear  at  the  darkness  and  the  sud- 
den confusion. 

"  It  is  I,  Sarita,"  I  called,  as  I  heard  her  close  over 
us,  and  feared  he  would  try  to  escape.  "  For  God's 
sake,  get  some  kind  of  light."  I  could  speak  no  more, 
having  to  concentrate  every  effort  to  overcome  Livenza, 
who  was  fighting  and  wrestling  with  the  wild  ferocity 
of  madness.  So  fiercely  did  he  struggle,  and  with 
strength  which  his  madness  increased  so  greatly,  that 
at  one  time  I  half  feared  he  would  master  me ;  but  at 
length  my  grip  fastened  on  his  throat,  and  I  pressed 
on  it  with  all  the  strength  at  my  command,  disregard- 
ing the  blows  he  rained  upon  me  with  frantic  violence, 
and  I  hung  on  with  a  grip  which  he  tried  vainly  to 
shake  off,  writhing,  and  twisting  incessantly.  His 
strength  gave  out  at  last ;  the  blows  grew  fainter  and 
the  struggles  weaker  until  he  lay  passive,  choking,  and 
seemingly  unconscious  in  my  grasp. 

"  Can't  you  get  a  light,  Sarita  ?  "  I  asked,  anxiously, 
for  the  whole  struggle  had  taken  place  in  pitchy  dark- 
ness. 

"Are  you  hurt  ?"  was  her  reply,  her  voice  trembling. 

"  Not  in  the  least.  Don't  be  a  bit  afraid,  we'll  soon 
be  out  of  this  mess."  Finding  that  Livenza  lay  still,  I 
plunged  my  hand  into  my  pocket  and  found  my  match- 
box. "  Here  are  matches  ; "  and  when  our  fingers 
touched  in  the  dark  hers  were  cold  and  shaking  vio- 
lently. I  pressed  them  gently  and  whispered  :  "  It's  all 
right  now,  sweetheart ;  "  and  a  moment  or  two  later,  the 
candle  was  found  and  re-lighted,  revealing  by  its  dim 
flame  a  scene  of  confusion  and  disorder  in  the  humble 
little  room  which  bore  eloquent  testimony  to  the  scene 
which  had  just  been  enacted. 


412   SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

"  You  must  hunt  about  and  find  something  to  tie  this 
mad  devil  up  with  ;  I  daren't  leave  him,"  I  said  next  ; 
and  taking  the  candle  she  went  out  of  the  room,  her 
face  dead  white,  and  her  hands  shaking  so  that  the 
candle  flickered  unsteadily. 

Meanwhile  Livenza  lay  so  still  in  the  darkness  that  I 
began  to  fear  he  was  dead.  I  could  feel  no  pulse  in  his 
listless  wrist,  which  dropped  when  I  released  it  like  the 
arm  of  a  corpse.  I  unfastened  his  coat  and  laid  my 
hand  on  his  heart,  and  then  I  could  just  detect  a  faint 
fluttering  ;  but  it  was  enough  to  prove  he  still  lived. 

After  a  few  minutes  Sarita  came  back  carrying  a 
small  length  of  cord  which  she  had  found  ;  and  with 
this  I  fastened  his  legs.  Taking  the  candle  I  looked 
with  a  good  deal  of  anxiety  into  his  eyes  ;  and  sending 
Sarita  for  water  I  dashed  it  on  his  face,  and  made  such 
crude  efforts  as  I  knew  of  to  bring  him  back  to  con- 
sciousness. For  a  long  time  the  effort  seemed  vain, 
and  the  apparent  difficulty  of  restoring  him,  led  me  to 
an  act  of  carelessness  that  came  within  an  ace  of  prov- 
ing fatal  to  everything. 

Sarita  had  been  carrying  Livenza's  revolver  which 
had  fallen  close  to  her  feet  when  I  had  burst  in,  and 
now  she  picked  up  mine  and  laid  them  both  on  the 
table  ;  and  I,  thinking  that  Livenza  would  be  better  if  I 
raised  him,  dragged  him  up  and  set  him  on  a  chair  close 
to  them.  It  was  the  act  of  a  fool.  He  had  evidently 
been  duping  me  for  some  time,  and  now  he  waited 
until  my  hands  were  off  him,  when  he  seized  his  chance 
with  the  cunning  of  a  madman,  and  snatched  up  one  of 
the  revolvers.  A  cry  from  Sarita  was  my  first  hint  of 
the  peril,  and  I  turned  to  find  the  barrel  levelled  point 
blank  at  me. 


HUT  ON  THE  HILLSIDE    413 

Her  cry  came  just  as  he  was  pulling  the  trigger  and 
he  started  and  missed  me.  Quick  as  thought  he  turned 
on  her  as  she  moved  to  the  other  side  of  the  room  ;  but 
his  hand  was  too  shaky  for  him  to  aim  correctly,  and 
by  the  mercy  of  Providence  he  missed  her.  Then 
before  I  could  interfere  to  stop  him,  for  the  three  shots 
followed  in  rapid  succession,  he  put  the  pistol  to  his 
own  temple  and  fired.  This  time  the  aim  was  true 
enough,  and  with  a  groan,  he  fell  back  off  the  chair 
dead. 

The  revolver  dropped  close  to  him,  and  I  kicked  it 
away  and  bent  over  him,  and  laid  my  hand  on  his 
heart. 

"  He  is  dead,  Sarita,"  I  said,  and  rose  to  take  her 
out  of  the  room,  but  the  strain  and  the  shock  had  been 
too  much  for  her  strength.  She  had  fainted  and  lay 
white,  wan,  and  helpless  in  the  chair  on  which  she  had 
crouched  when  he  made  his  last  desperate  attempt  to 
shoot  her. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 
A  KING'S  RIDDLE 

THE   effects  of   Sebastian   Quesada's  death  were 
national  and  dramatic. 

For  some  days  the  political  atmosphere  was 
highly  charged  with  electricity  ;  the  utmost  confusion 
appeared  to  prevail,  and  in  the  result  the  war  party 
emerged  triumphant  and  irresistible.  Scarcely  a  voice 
was  to  be  heard  in  favour  of  peace,  even  from  those 
who  had  previously  been  staunch  adherents  of  the 
dead  Minister. 

The  reason  of  this  was  to  some  extent  a  matter  of 
conjecture  on  my  part.  How  wide-reaching  Quesada's 
conspiracy  had  been  I  never  learnt  precisely  ;  but 
enough  was  told  to  enable  me  to  guess  a  great  deal 
more.  Quite  suddenly,  and  much  to  my  surprise,  the 
policy  of  a  general  amnesty  for  the  Carlists  embroiled 
in  the  recent  outbreak  found  wide  and  most  influential 
support. 

The  avowed  reason  for  this  was  the  obvious  expedi- 
ency of  uniting  all  classes  in  Spain,  in  order  to  present 
a  compact  front  to  the  common  enemy  ;  but  I  believe 
the  real  reason  was  a  very  different  one.  I  have 
grounds  for  saying  that  the  scrutiny  of  Quesada's 
private  affairs  and  papers  revealed  the  fact  that  so 
many  of  the  prominent  men  in  the  country  had  been 
more  or  less  involved  in  his  movement  to  establish  a 
Republic,  that  the  loyalists  were  afraid  of  the  results 


A   KING'S    RIDDLE       415 

of  a  strict  investigation  and  rigorous  prosecution.  The 
war  policy  was  a  good  rallying  cry,  and  in  view  of  it 
the  hatchet  was  to  be  buried. 

This  unexpected  development  was  of  course  all  in 
my  favour,  although  there  were  some  days  of  acute 
anxiety  and  suspense. 

So  soon  as  I  was  in  possession  of  the  needed  proofs 
that  Quesada's  death  was  due  to  murder  from  private 
motives  and  was  not  an  assassination  in  any  way  con- 
cerning the  Carlists,  I  had  been  confident  enough  of 
ultimate  success  to  take  Sarita  back  to  Madrid,  place 
her  again  with  Madame  Chansette,  and  then  open  up 
communications  with  the  Duke  of  Novarro. 

From  my  first  interview  with  him  I  brought  away  a 
piece  of  sorrowful  news  for  Sarita.  Her  brother  was 
dead.  He  had  been  shot  at  Daroca  in  the  act  of  escap- 
ing from  the  police  who  had  arrested  him.  Her  grief 
was  very  deep,  but  Ramon's  death  severed  the  family 
tie  which  bound  her  to  Spain  ;  and  when  the  first  pangs 
of  sorrow  had  passed,  it  came  to  be  accepted  between 
us  that  if  the  amnesty  for  the  Carlists  was  secured  she 
would  go  with  us  to  England. 

Then,  just,  as  matters  appeared  to  be  going  well,  an 
unexpected  thing  occurred.  I  had  received  a  summons 
to  attend  at  the  Palace  one  day,  and  went  down  to  tell 
the  others,  and  as  I  entered  Mrs.  Curwen's  room'  I 
heard  her  say  : 

"  I'm  glad  the  tornado's  over,  Mercy.  It's  a  blessing 
we  shall  all  go  back  safe  and  sound  to  England.  Your 
brother's  a  regular  storm-centre." 

"  I  think  the  storm-centre  is  moving  at  last,  and 
across  the  Atlantic,  as  the  weather  people  say,  Mrs. 
Curwen,"  I  said,  referring  to  the  war  news. 


416   SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

"Ah,  did  you  hear  me,  Lord  Glisfoyle  ;  but  you 
seem  to  be  the  storm-centre.  Have  you  brought  any 
more  little  volcanoes  or  blizzards  with  you  now  ?  I 
shall  always  think  of  a  cyclone  when  I  think  of  you," 
she  declared,  laughing. 

"I  am  summoned  to  the  Palace  this  afternoon,  and 
hope,  with  you,  to  find  the  tornado  is  over." 

"  Have  you  any  news  of  Sarita's  matters  then  ?  " 

"  None,  but  I  expect  to  hear  everything  this  after- 
noon. Did  you  see  Dolores  Quesada  this  morning, 
Mercy  ?" 

"  Yes,  poor  girl;  she  is  awfully  broken  by  her  trouble, 
and  holds  to  her  intention  to  take  the  veil.  She  is 
going  to-day  to  the  Convent  of  the  Sacred  Heart." 

"  About  the  best  place  for  her,  poor  soul !  "  exclaimed 
Mrs.  Curwen,  "  for  a  time,  of  course.  I'm  not  sur- 
prised there  are  plenty  of  convents  in  this  most  cut- 
and-thrust  country.  I  should  go  into  one  if  I  were  a 
Spaniard — which,  thank  goodness,  I  am  not !  " 

"  I  think  she  would  have  done  better  to  accept 
Madame  Chansette's  offer  to  go  and  live  with  her  in 
Paris,"  said  I.  "  She's  too  pretty,  too  young,  and  too 
rich  to  be  shut  up  for  life." 

"  Madame  Chansette  was  with  me  this  morning,  and 
we  both  tried  to  persuade  her,"  replied  Mercy,  "  but 
she  wouldn't  listen  to  us.  We  hope  she  will  come 
round.  Madame  Chansette  says  she  will  have  at  least 
a  year  of  the  novitiate,  and  a  good  many  things  may 
happen  in  a  year." 

"  A  good  many  may  happen  in  a  week  in  Madrid/' 
cried  Mrs.  Curwen.  "  It  must  be  in  the  air,  I  suppose." 

"  Yes,  friendships  ripen  quickly  here,  even  when 
people  are  not  Spanish,"  said  I. 


A    KING'S    RIDDLE       417 

"  And  feelings  stronger  than  friendship,  too,"  retorted 
the  widow,  understanding  my  reference. 

"  Yes,  feelings  stronger  than  friendship,"  I  repeated, 
with  a  significant  accent  and  glance  at  her.  At  that 
moment,  Mayhew  came  in  and  I  added,  "  And  here's 
a  friend,  I  hope." 

She  smiled,  and  turned  to  greet  him. 

"  Well,  what  news  ? "  she  asked,  a  little  eagerly,  I 
thought. 

"I've  got  the  leave,"  he  answered. 

I  looked  a  question  at  them  both,  and  Mayhew 
answered  it,  with  a  self-conscious  smile  of  forced  indif- 
ference. "  I'm  going  for  a  week  or  two  to  London, 
Ferdinand.  I've  been  a  bit  overdoing  it  here." 

'"  Overdoing  what,  Silas  ?  " 

"  Work,  of  course  ;  and  as  you're  all  going " 

"  It's  my  doing,  Lord  Glisfoyle,"  said  Mrs.  Curwen. 
"  I  hate  travelling  without  someone  to  look  after  things  ; 
and  when  we  do  go  I  know  you  will  be  too  much  occu- 
pied under  the  circumstances  to  attend  to  us,  so  I  told 
Mr.  Mayhew  he  ought  to  get  leave  and  come  with  us." 

"I  hope  with  all  my  heart  he'll  never  come  back,"  I 
said,  very  earnestly  ;  and  Mercy  smiled. 

"  Not  come  back  ?    Why  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Because  I  hope  you'll  find  a  sphere  in  London  that 
will  keep  you  there." 

"  My  dear  fellow,  a  mill-horse  like  me  has  no  influ- 
ence." 

"What  leave  will  you  have  ?" 

"  A  month." 

"  Ah,  well,  one  can  say  of  London  what  Mrs.  Curwen 
said  just  now  of  Madrid  ;  a  good  many  things  may 
happen  in  a  month,  and  many  good  things  too,"  And 


418   SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

in  that  case  the  generalism  was  a  prophecy,  for  May- 
hew  did  not  return  to  Madrid  except  when  he  and  Mrs. 
Curwen  paid  a  flying  honeymoon  visit  there  some 
months  afterwards. 

"  Certainly  many  things  have  happened  here,"  he 
replied,  drily. 

"  And  the  catalogue  isn't  filled  yet ;  but  I'm  going  to 
the  Palace  to-day,  and  hope  to  get  the  remaining  items, 
so  far  as  I'm  concerned  ;  "  and  we  were  discussing  and 
canvassing  my  visit  to  the  King,  when  Madame  Chan- 
sette  arrived,  and  told  us  to  my  infinite  consternation 
that  Sarita  had  been  again  arrested.  I  could  not  at 
first  believe  it. 

"  Arrested  ?  My  dear  madame,  are  you  sure  ?  "  I 
cried. 

"  I  never  feel  sure  of  anything  now  ;  but  if  two 
officials  in  uniform  arriving  with  a  warrant  or  a  sum- 
mons or  some  kind  of  paper  from  Government,  and  the 
hurrying  off  of  Sarita  to  some  place  no  one  knew  where, 
or  at  least  would  tell  me  where,  and  taking  no  denial 
or  excuse  and  not  letting  us  communicate  with  anyone, 
and  not  even  allowing  Sarita  to  make  any  decent  prep- 
arations, or  even  pack  a  hand-bag  with  absolute 
necessaries,  not  even  a  brush  and  comb  or  a  spare 
handkerchief,  and  saying  no  more  tome  than  that  they 
had  their  orders  and  must  obey  them,  don't  mean 
arrest,  then  what  can  it  mean  ? "  She  paused  for  want 
of  breath,  and  was  plunging  into  another  sea  of  words 
when  I  interrupted  her. 

"  Who  signed  the  paper  or  warrant  or  whatever  it 
was  ?  What  was  the  charge  ?  " 

"  My  dear  Lord  Glisfoyle,  however  can  I  know  when 
I  was  not  even  allowed  to  look  at  it,  much  less  take  it 


A   KING'S    RIDDLE       419 

in  my  hands  ;  and  I  was  so  agitated  and  frightened,  I 
could  not  even  think  coolly.  It  was  in  this  way " 

"  Excuse  me,  I'll  go  and  see  about  it,"  I  broke  in, 
and  hurried  away  to  the  Duke  of  Novarro  in  search  of 
some  explanation.  I  had  to  wait  for  him,  and  sat  for 
an  hour  or  more  drumming  my  heels  on  the  floor  and 
controlling  my  impatience  as  best  I  could.  It  was 
close  to  the  time  of  my  interview  at  the  Palace  when 
he  arrived,  full  of  suave  apologies  for  the  delay. 

"  I  learn  that  Senorita  Castelar  has  been  arrested. 
May  I  ask  the  reason  for  so  unexpected  a  step  ? "  I 
asked,  getting  at  once  to  the  point. 

"  I  am  very  glad  you  have  come  to  me,  Lord 
Glisfoyle,  although  in  this  matter  I  fear  I  cannot  give 
you  much  satisfactory  information.  But  I  have  just 
completed  another  affair  that  you  will  be  interested  to 
learn  concerning  Senorita  Castelar." 

"  But  this  arrest,  my  lord  ? "  I  cried,  impatiently, 
irritated  rather  than  appeased  by  the  scrupulous 
courtesy  of  his  tone. 

"  Yes,  it  is  undoubtedly  singular  ;  but  bear  with  me 
a  moment.  The  other  matter  is  also  much  in  point.  It 
concerns  the  young  lady's  property,  Lord  Glisfoyle. 
An  examination  of  the  Quesada  papers  has  convinced 
us " 

"But  the  arrest,  my  lord?"  I  interposed.  "I  am 
burning  with  impatience." 

"  This  may  be  in  some  way  connected  with  it.  We 
are  convinced  that  Quesada  was  wrongfully  withhold- 
ing from  his  two  relations  property  which  was  theirs  by 
right,  and  it  will  be  restored  to  Senorita  Castelar,  of 
course,  if  this  matter  is  satisfactorily  arranged." 

"  But  the   arrest,  my  lord  ? "   I  cried   for  the   third 


420    SARITA,    THE    CARLIST 

time.  "Other  matters  are  nothing  compared  with 
this." 

"  And  unfortunately  I  can  tell  you  nothing  about  it. 
I  cannot  think  it  is  of  any  serious  importance,  how- 
ever." 

"  But  she  has  been  arrested,"  I  urged,  insistently. 
"  Such  a  drastic  step  must  mean  something — even  in 
Spain." 

"  You  are  severe  upon  our  methods,  senor.  I  wish  I 
could  give  you  a  more  satisfying  answer."  And  he 
threw  up  his  hands  and  smiled. 

"To  whom  can  I  go  for  information?"  I  asked, 
rising. 

"  I  believe  the  step  has  been  taken  at  the  instance  of 
the  Palace  ;  but  it  cannot  be  serious,  as  I  say,  for  we 
have  definitely  settled  upon  the  amnesty  for  all  but  a 
very  few  of  the  Carlists — where,  for  instance,  it  is  clear 
that  robbery  rather  than  politics  was  the  motive." 

"  This  does  not  satisfy  me,"  I  said,  ungraciously  ;  for 
the  mention  of  exceptions  made  me  uneasy. 

"  I  can  understand  that  it  should  not ;  but  if  I  may 
offer  a  word  of  advice,  I  would  counsel  patience.  All 
will  come  right,  I  hope  and  think.  Have  you  not 
received  a  summons  to  the  Palace  to-day  ?  " 

"Yes.  Shall  I  learn  the  truth  there?"  I  said 
bluntly. 

"  I  hope  will  have  no  difficulty  in  learning  the  truth 
anywhere  in  Spain,  Lord  Glisfoyle,"  he  answered ; 
and  the  rebuke  was  none  the  less  telling  because  of  the 
quiet,  courteous  tone  in  which  it  was  administered. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  my  lord.  In  my  great  anxiety 
I  spoke  in  haste." 

"  I  am  sure  of  that.     At  the  Palace    I  am  convinced 


A    KING'S    RIDDLE       421 

you  will  at  least  get  an  explanation  ;  "  and  he  smiled. 
There  was  clearly  nothing  more  to  be  gleaned  from 
him,  and  in  this  condition  of  anxious  unrest  I  went  to 
the  Palace. 

I  was  ushered  not  into  any  of  the  public  chambers, 
but  into  one  of  the  private  apartments  of  the  Royal 
Family,  and  left  there  alone,  much  exercised  in  mind 
on  account  of  the  strange  step  which  had  been  taken. 

Presently  the  young  King  came  to  me,  and  I  was  at 
once  struck  by  his  strange  manner  and  the  strange 
expression  on  his  face.  He  appeared  to  be  very  glad 
to  see  me,  and  yet  his  manner  was  unquestionably 
marked  by  restraint.  At  first  he  came  gladly  and 
quickly  towards  me  with  outstretched  hands,  as  he  had 
before,  but  checked  himself,  gave  me  his  hand  to  kiss, 
and  then  searched  my  face  with  precocious  shrewdness, 
mingled,  as  it  seemed,  with  intentionally  suppressed 
friendliness  and  a  dash  of  furtive  concern.  When  he 
spoke  it  was  with  a  gravity  far  beyond  his  years,  and 
without  any  of  his  spontaneous  boyish  frankness. 

"  I  have  desired  to  see  you  alone,  my  lord.  The 
Duke  of  Novarro  will  have  told  you  of  the  decision  in 
regard  to  the  amnesty  ? " 

"  He  has  just  done  so,  your  Majesty.  I  went  to  him 
to  ask  the  reason  of  a  most  unexpected  event — the 
arrest  of  Senorita  Castelar — a  matter  that  has  caused 
me  grave  uneasiness." 

"  Did  he  not  tell  you  that  some  exceptions  had  to  be 
made  in  granting  pardons  ?" 

"  He  did  not  tell  me  that  Senorita  Castelar  was  to  be 
an  exception,  and  certainly  I  had  never  been  led  to 
expect  it,"  I  answered,  rather  bluntly.  "  Nor  did  I 
think  that  such  a  thing  would  ever  have  been  done." 


422   SARITA,   THE    CARLIST 

He  gave  me  a  little  eager  glance,  and  was  going  to 
reply  quickly,  when  he  checked  himself,  paused,  and 
then  in  the  former  tone  said — 

"  We  wish  to  consult  your  desires  so  far  as  possible, 
my  lord  ;  but  the  senorita  took  a  very  active  part  even 
in  the  plot  against  me." 

"  I  am  in  your  Majesty's  hands,  of  course,  but  such 
a  step  is  a  strange  way  of  consulting  my  desires." 

"  I  am  not  so  sure  of  that,"  he  cried  quickly,  with  a 
boyish  smile.  "  At  least,  I  mean  that  you  have  been 
such  a  friend  to  me  that  I  am  convinced  you  would  not 
wish  me  to  do  anything  that  my  advisers  consider 
unwise." 

"  We  did  not  speak  in  this  strain  as  we  rode  back 
that  evening  from  Podrida.  I  do  not  recall  any  con- 
ditions about  your  Majesty's  advisers  or  even  mention 
of  them." 

"  You  are  very  difficult  to  deal  with,  senor,  and  are 
making  my  task  very  hard,"  he  said,  protestingly. 

"  I  have  not  the  honour  to  know  what  your  Majesty's 
task  is,"  said  I,  puzzled  by  his  words. 

"  It  has  been  found  necessary,  in  the  interests  which 
I  have  at  heart,  to  pass  a  sentence  upon  the  senorita — 
in  some  respects  a  heavy  sentence."  He  used  the  same 
over-serious  tone,  but  as  he  looked  up  into  my  face  I 
saw  laughter  in  his  eyes,  and  when  he  finished,  the 
smile  spread  over  his  face. 

"  It  is  your  Majesty's  prerogative  to  command,"  I 
answered. 

"  Yes,"  he  cried,  eagerly.  "  Yes,  this  is  my  own  doing. 
I  have  seen  Senorita  Castelar.  I  spoke  of  my  advisers 
just  now  ;  but  this  is  not  their  doing,  it  is  all  my  work. 
That  may  make  you  agree  to  it,  even  if  the  punishment 


A   KING'S    RIDDLE       423 

itself  may  seem  to  you  severe.  And,  believe  me,  I 
should  be  very  sorry  if  I  thought  that — on  your  account. 
You  will  believe  that  ? "  and  he  made  a  motion  to  place 
his  hands  on  mine  as  if  to  appeal  to  me. 

"  I  should  be  deeply  distressed  if  I  thought  you  of 
yourself  could  do  anything  harsh  or  unjust.  I  do  not 
think  it  possible." 

"  That  is  more  like  my  Englishman  of  Podrida,"  he 
cried,  gleefully  ;  but,  reverting  to  the  grave  tone,  he 
added  :  "  The  senorita  knows  her  punishment  and  quite 
acquiesces  in  its  justice  ;  although  it  carries  with  it  no 
less  than  partial  imprisonment  for  life." 

"  Your  Majesty  is  not  serious  ?  "  I  exclaimed. 

"  Do  I  look  otherwise  ?"  he  cried  ;  but  he  could  not 
maintain  his  gravity  any  longer,  and  burst  into  a  merry 
peal  of  laughter.  "  Do  you  think  I  would  do  anything 
like  that?  Anything  against  the  man  who  once  wore 
this  for  me  ?"  and  he  pulled  out  the  little  mask  that  he 
had  begged  of  me  that  day  on  the  road.  "  I  know 
more  now  than  I  did  then  of  the  danger  you  ran  for 
my  sake.  Can't  you  guess  my  riddle  ?" 

His  eyes  were  dancing  with  pleasure  and  mischief, 
and  he  put  on  the  mask,  and  then  thrust  his  hands  into 
mine. 

"  This  is  not  the  only  mask  I've  worn  to-day,  you 
see.  Can't  you  guess  ?  Have  I  really  beaten  you  ? 
That's  glorious  ;  and  I  thought  it  all  out  myself,"  he 
cried,  laughing  in  high  glee. 

I  began  to  see  daylight  then,  and  laughed  with  him. 
"  I  am  not  afraid  of  anything  you  would  think  of,  sire." 

"  But  you  were  afraid,  you  know.  I  saw  it  in  your 
face  just  now,  and  I  could  hardly  keep  it  up.  I  like 
you  too  much  to  wish  to  hurt  you,  even  in  play." 


424   SARITA,   THE   CARLIST 

"You  said  the  senorita's  punishment  carried  partial 
imprisonment  for  life.'1 

"A  golden  prison,  senor,  for  this,"  he  cried,  laughing 
again  as  he  held  up  the  fourth  finger  of  the  left  hand. 
"  Senorita  Sarita  Castelar  is  to  be  exiled  from  Spain, 
never  to  return  ;  never,  never,  never.  But  Lord  Glis- 
foyle's  wife,  Carlist  or  not  Carlist,  will  always  be  able 
to  return,"  he  added,  slily,  "  because  Lord  Glisfoyle, 
my  Englishman,  will  always  be  welcome  here.  Now  do 
you  understand  it  all  ?  " 

"And  thank  your  Majesty  from  the  bottom  of  my 
heart,"  I  replied,  earnestly. 

"  Have  I  kept  my  word  ? "  he  added,  almost  wistfully. 

"  As  a  King  should,  generously,"  I  said. 

"  And  you  forgive  me  my  prank — though  you  could 
not  guess  my  riddle  ?" 

"  It  is  a  riddle,  sire,  of  which  the  answer  could  not  be 
better." 

"  Then  I  hope  Spain  and  I  will  always  have  one  firm 
friend  in  England,''  he  said,  very  seriously,  as  he  put 
his  hand  again  in  mine. 

"  Till  the  end  of  my  life,  your  Majesty  ;  "  and  taking 
his  hand  I  was  pressing  my  lips  upon  it  when  he  checked 
me. 

"No,"  he  said,  smiling.  "I  am  not  the  King  to  you. 
We  are  friends,  and  friends  don't  kiss  hands,  they  shake 
them  in  your  England.  Good-bye,  my  friend,  my  Eng- 
lishman of  Podrida." 

"  Good-bye,"  I  answered,  holding  his  hand  in  a  firm 
clasp. 

Then  he  led  me,  still  holding  my  hand,  to  the  door. 

"  You  are  to  go  there,  but — "  and  his  voice  shook 
slightly  as  he  added — "  don't  forget  me,  even  there  ; 


A   KING'S    RIDDLE        425 

even  when  you  find  what  you  so  much  desire."  He 
opened  the  door,  and  I  saw  Sarita  waiting  for  me.  I 
went  to  her  with  quickly  beating  heart. 

"  Good-bye  again,"  came  in  a  whisper,  as  the  boy 
King  closed  the  door  softly  behind  me,  and  opened  up 
at  the  same  time  all  the  new  smiling  love-life  that  lay 
ahead  for  us  two. 

THE  END. 


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I 

GUY  FAWKES.  A  Romance  of  the  Gunpowder  Treason.  By  Win.  Harri* 
•on  Ainsworth.  Cloth,  I2mo.  with  four  illustrations  by  George  Cruikshank, 
X»rice,  $1.00. 

The  "Gunpowder  Plot"  was  a  •  modest  attempt  to  blow  up  Parliament, 
the  King  and  his  Counsellors.  James  of  Scotland,  then  King  of  England. 
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extorting  money  from  the  people  by  imposing  taxes  on  the  Catholics.  In 
their  natural  resentment  to  this  extortion,  a  handful  of  bold  spirits  con- 
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and  the  King  put  to  torture  Guy  Fawkes  and  the  other  prisoners  witli 
royal  vigor.  A  very  intense  love  story  runs  through  the  entire  romance, 

THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE  BORDER.  A  Romance  of  the  Early  Settlers  in  the 
Ohio  Valley.  By  Zane  Grey.  Cloth.  I2tno.  with  four  illustrations  by  J.  Watson 
Davis.  Price,  $1.00. 

A  book  rather  out  of  the  ordinary  is  this  "Spirit  of  the  Border."  The 
main  thread  of  the  story  has  to  do  with  the  work  of  the  Moravian  mis- 
sionaries in  the  Ohio  Valley.  Incidentally  the  reader  is  given  details  of  the 
frontier  life  of  those  hardy  pioneers  who  broke  the  wilderness  for  the  plant- 
Ing  of  this  great  nation.  Chief  among  these,  as  a  matter  of  course,  is 
Lewis  Wetzel,  one  of  the  most  peculiar,  and  at  the  same  time  the  most 
admirable  of  all  the  brave  men  who  spent  their  lives  battling  with  the 
•avage  foe,  that  others  might  dwell  in  comparative  security. 

Details  of  the  establishment  and  destruction  of  the  Moravian  "Village! 
rf  Peace"  are  given  at  some  length,  and  with  minute  dc.-.^riptlon.  The 
fe?ior*s  to  Christianize  the  Indians  are  described  as  they  never  have  been 
before,  and  the  author  has  depicted  the  characters  of  the  leadc-.j  of  the 
several  Indian  tribes  with  great  care,  which  of  itself  will  be  of  interest  to 
the  student. 

By  no  means  least  among  the  charms  of  the  story  are  the  vlvfd  word- 
pictures  of  the  thrilling  adventures,  and  the  intense  paintings  of  the  beau- 
ties of  nature,  as  seen  in  the  almost  unbroken  forests. 

It  is  the  spirit  of  the  frontier  which  is  described,  and  one  can  by  it. 
perhaps,  the  better  understand  why  men,  and  women,  too,  willingly  braved 
every  privation  and  danger  that  the  westward  progress  of  the  star  of  em- 
pire might  be  the  more  certain  and  rapid.  A  love  story,  simple  and  tender, 
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i  RICHELIEU.    A  tale  of  France  in  the  reign  of  King  I,ouis  XIII.    By  G.  R 
5R.  James.  Cloth,  I2mo.  with  four  illustrations  L./ .?.  Watson  Davis.  Price,  fi.oo. 

In  1829  Mr.  James  published  his  first  romance,  "Richelieu,"  and  was 
recognized  at  once  as  one  of  the  masters  of  the  craft. 

In  this  book  he  laid  the  story  during  those  later  days  of  the  great  car- 
dinal's life,  when  his  power  was  beginning  to  wane,  but  while  it  was 
yet  sufficiently  strong  to  permit  now  and  then  of  volcanic  outbursts  which, 
overwhelmed  foes  and  carried  friends  to  the  topmost  wave  of  prosperity.. 
One  of  the  most  striking  portions  of  the  story  is  that  of  Cinq  Mar's  conspir- 
acy; the  method  of  conducting  criminal  cases,  and  the  political  trickery 
resorted  to  by  royal  favorites,  affording  a  better  insight  into  the  state- 
craft of  that  day  than  can  be  had  even  by  an  exhaustive  study  of  history. 
It  is  a  powerful  romance  of  love  and  diplomacy,  and  in  point  of  thrilling 
and  absorbing  interest  has  never  been  excelled. 

J?or  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the  pub« 
listers,  A.  L.  BURT  COMPANYS  §3-58  Duane  St.,  New  York. 


Good  Fiction  Worth  Reading, 

A  series  of  romances  containing  several  of  the  old  favorites  in  the  field 
of  historical  fiction,  replete  with  powerful  romances  of  love  and  diplomacy 
that  excel  in  thrilling  and  absorbing  interest. 


WINDSOR  CASTLE.  A  Historical  Romance  of  the  Reign  of  Henry  VIH.., 
Catharine  of  Aragon  and  Aline  Boleyn.  By  Win.  Harrison  Ainsworth.  Cloth,,  ( 
J2mo.  with  four  illustrations  by  George  Cruikshank.  Price,  Ji.oo.  | 

"Windsor  Castle"  Is  the  story  of  Henry  VIII.,  Catharine,  and  Anne 
Boleyn.  "Bluft  King  Hal,"  although  a  well-loved  monarch,  was  none  too 
good  a  one  in  many  ways.  Of  all  his  selfishness  and  unwarrantable  acts, 
none  was  more  discreditable  than  his  divorce  from  Catharine,  and  his  mar- 
riage to  the  beautiful  Anne  Boleyn.  The  King's  love  was  as  brief  as  It 
"was  vehement.  Jane  Seymour,  waiting  maid  on  the  Queen,  attracted  him, 
and  Anne  Boleyn  was  forced  to  the  block  to  make  room  for  her  successor. 
This  romance  is  one  of  extreme  interest  to  all  readers. 

HORSESHOE  ROBINSON.  A  tale  of  the  Tory  Ascendency  in  South  Caro- 
lina in  1780.  By  John  P.  Kennedy.  Cloth,  I2mo.  with  four  illustrations  by  J. 
Watson  Davis.  Price,  $1.00. 

Among  the  old  favorites  In  the  field  of  what  Is  known  as  historical  fic- 
tion, there  are  none  which  appeal  to  a  larger  number  of  Americans  than 
Horseshoe  Robinson,  and  this  because  It  Is  the  only  story  which  depicts 
•with  fidelity  to  the  facts  the  heroic  efforts  of  the  colonists  in  South  Caro- 
lina to  defend  their  homes  against  the  brutal  oppression  of  the  British 
under  such  leaders  as  Cornwallis  and  Tarleton. 

The  reader  is  charmed  with  the  story  of  love  which  forms  the  thread 
of  the  tale,  and  then  impressed  with  the  wealth  of  detail  concerning  those 
times.  The  picture  of  the  ma.nifold  sufferings  of  the  people,  is  never  over- 
drawn, but  painted  faithfully  and  honestly  by  one  who  spared  neither 
time  nor  labor  in  his  efforts  to  present  in  this  charming  love  story  all  that 
price  in  blood  and  tears  which  the  Carolinians  paid  as  their  share  in  tha 
•winning  of  the  republic. 

Take  it  all  in  all,  "Horseshoe  Robinson"  is  a  work  which  should  be 
found  on  every  book-shelf,  not  only  because  it  is  a  most  entertaining 
story,  but  because  of  the  wealth  of  valuable  information  concerning  the 
colonists  which  it  contains.  That  It  has  been  brought  out  once  more,  well 
illustrated,  is  something  which  will  give  pleasure  to  thousands  who  have 
long  desired  an  opportunity  to  read  the  story  again,  and  to  the  many  who 
have  tried  vainly  in  these  latter  days  to  procure  a  copy  that  they  might 
read  it  for  the  first  time. 

THE  PEARL  OF  ORR'S  ISLAND.  A  story  of  the  Coast  of  Maine.  By 
Harriet  Beech er  Stowe.  Cloth,  i2ino.  Illustrated.  Price,  $1.00. 

Written  prior  to  1862,  the  "Pearl  of  Orr's  Island"  is  ever  new;  a  book 
filled  with  delicate  fancies,  such  as  seemingly  array  themselves  anew  each 
time  one  reads  them.  One  sees  the  "sea  like  an  unbroken  mirror  all 
around  the  pine-girt,  lonely  shores  of  Orr's  Island,"  and  straightway 
comes  "the  heavy,  hollow  moan  of  the  surf  on  the  beach,  like  the  wild 
I  angry  howl  of  some  savage  animal." 

"Who  can  read  of  the  beginning  of  that  sweet  life,  named  Mara,  which 
came  into  this  world  under  the  very  shadow  of  the  Death  angel's  wings, 
•without  having  an  intense  desire  to  know  how  the  premature  bud  blos- 
somed? Again  and  again  one  lingers  over  the  descriptions  of  the  char- 
acter of  that  baby  boy  Moses,  who  came  through  the  tempest,  amid  the 
angry  billows,  pillowed  on  his  dead  mother's  breast. 

There  is  no  more  faithful  portrayal  of  New  England  life  than  that 
which  Mrs.  Stowe  gives  in  "The  Pearl  of  Orr's  Island." 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  th*  pub« 
Ushers,  A.  L.  BURT  COMPANY,  53-58  Duaue  St.,  New  York. 


Good  Fiction  Worth  Reading. 

A  series  of  romances  containing  several  of  the  old  favorites  in  the  field 
of  historical  fiction,  replete  with  powerful  romances  of  love  and  diplomacy 
that  excel  in  thrilling  and  absorbing  interest. 


A  COLONIAL  FREE-LANCE.  A  story  of  American  Colonial  Times.  By 
Chauncey  C.  Hotchkiss.  Cloth,  i2mo.  with  four  illustrations  by  J.  Watsoa 
Davis.  Price,  $1.00. 

A  book  that  appeals  to  Americans  as  a  vivid  picture  of  Revolutionary 
scenes.  The  story  is  a  strong  one,  a  thrilling  one.  It  causes  the  tru* 
American  to  flush  with  excitement,  to  devour  chapter  after  chapter,  until 
the  eyes  smart,  and  it  fairly  smokes  with  patriotism.  The  love  story  is  a. 
singularly  charming  idyl. 

THE  TOWER  OF  LONDON.  A  Historical  Romance  of  the  rimes  of  Lady 
Jane  Grey  and  Mary  Tudor.  By  Wm.  Harrison  Ainsworth.  Cloth,  lamo.  with 
four  illustrations  by  George  Cruikshank,  Price,  |i.oo. 

This  romance  of  the  "Tower  of  London"  depicts  the  Tower  as  palace, 
prison  and  fortress,  with  many  historical  associations.  The  era  is  the 
middle  of  the  sixteenth  century. 

The  story  is  divided  into  two  parts,  one  dealing  with  Lady  Jane  Grey, 
and  the  other  with  Mary  Tudor  as  Queen,  Introducing  other  notable  char- 
acters of  the  era.  Throughout  the  story  holds  the  interest  of  the  reader 
in  the  midst  of  intrigue  and  conspiracy,  extending  considerably  over  a 
half  a  century. 

IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING.  A  Romance  of  the  American  Revolution. 
By  Chauncey  C.  Hotchkiss.  Cloth,  lamo.  with  four  illustrations  by  J.  Watson 
Davis.  Price,  $ i.oo. 

Mr.  Hotchkiss  has  etched  in  burning  words  a  story  of  Yankee  bravery, 
and  true  love  that  thrills  from  beginning  to  end,  with  the  spirit  of  tha 
Revolution.  The  heart  beats  quickly,  and  we  feel  ourselves  taking  a 
part  In  the  exciting  scenes  described.  Hie  whole  story  is  so  absorbing 
that  you  will  sit  up  far  into  the  night  to  finish  it.  As  a  love  romance 
it  is  charming. 

GARTHOWEN.  A  story  of  a  Welsh  Homestead.  By  Allen  Raine.  Cloth, 
izmo.  with  four  illustrations  by  J.  Watson  Davis.  Price,  $1.00. 

"This  is  a  little  idyl  of  humble  life  and  enduring  love,  laid  bare  before 
us,  very  real  and  pure,  which  in  its  telling  shows  us  some  strong  points  of 
Welsh  character— the  pride,  the  hasty  temper,  the  quick  dying  out  of  wrath. 
.  .  .  We  call  this  a  well-written  story,  interesting  alike  through  lt« 
romance  and  its  glimpses  into  another  life  than  ours.  A  delightful  and 
clever  picture  of  Welsh  village  life.  The  result  is  excellent."— Detroit  Free 
Press. 

MIFANWY.  The  story  of  a  Welsh  Singer.  By  Allan  Raine.  Cloth, 
izmo.  with  four  illustrations  by  J.  Watson  Davis.  Price,  Ji.oo. 

"This  is  a  love  story,  simple,  tender  and  pretty  as  one  would  care  to 
read.  The  action  throughout  is  brisk  and  pleasing;  the  characters,  it  is  ap- 
parent at  once,  are  as  true  to  life  as  though  the  author  had  known  them 
all  personally.  Simple  in  all  its  situations,  the  story  is  worked  up  in  that 
touching  and  quaint  strain  which  never  grows  wearisome,  no  matter  how 
often  the  lights  and  shadows  of  love  are  introduced.  It  rings  true,  and 
does  not  tax  the  imagination."— Boston  Herald. 


For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  en  receipt  of  price  by  the  pub* 
Ushers,  A.  L.  BURT  COMPANY,  52-58  P-uane  St.,  New  York. 


Good  Fiction  Worth  Reading. 

A  series  of  romances  containing  several  of  the  old  favorites  in  the  field 
Of  historical  fiction,  replete  with  powerful  romances  of  love  and  diplomacy 
that  excel  in  thrilling  and  absorbing  interest. 


D  ARNLE  Y.  A  Romance  of  the  times  of  Henry  VIII.  and  Cardinal  Wolsey. 
By  G.  P.  R.  James.  Cloth,  I2mo.  with  four  illustrations  by  J.  Watson  Davis, 
Price,  II.DO. 

In  point  of  publication,  "Darnley"  is  that  work  by  Mr.  James  which 
follows  "Richelieu,"  and,  If  rumor  can  be  credited,  it  was  owing  to  the  ad- 
Vice  and  Insistence  of  our  own  Washington  Irving  that  we  are  indebted 
primarily  for  the  story,  the  young  author  questioning  whether  he  could 
properly  paint  the  difference  in  the  characters  of  the  two  great  cardinals. 
And  it  is  not  surprising  that  James  should  have  hesitated;  he  had  been 
eminently  successful  in  giving  to  the  world  the  portrait  of  Richelieu  as  a. 
man,  and  by  attempting  a  similar  task  with  Wolsey  as  the  theme,  was 
much  like  tempting  fortune.  Ixving  insisted  that  "Darnley"  came  natur- 
ally in  sequence,  and  this  opinion  toeing  supported  by  Sir  Walter  Scott, 
the  author  set  about  the  work. 

AB  a  historical  romance  "Darnley"  is  a  book  that  can  be  taken  up 
S>leasurably  again  and  again,  for  there  is  about  it  that  subtle  charm  whicl* 
those  who  are  strangers  to  the  works  of  G.  P.  R.  James  have  claimed  was 
only  to  be  imparted  by  Dumas. 

If  there  was  nothing  more  about  the  work  to  attract  especial  attention, 
the  account  of  the  meeting  of  the  kings  on  the  historic  "field  of  the  cloth  of 
•old"  would  entitle  the  story  to  the  most  favorable  consideration  of  every 
reader. 

There  is  really  but  little  pure  romance  In  this  story,  for  the  author  ha* 
taken  care  to  imagine  love  passages  only  between  those  whom  history  has 
credited  with  haying  entertained  the  tender  passion  one  for  another,  and 
h«  succeeds  in  making:  such  lovers  as  all  the  world  must  love. 

CAPTAIN  BRAND,  OF  THE  SCHOONER  CENTIPEDE.  By  I,ieut. 
Henry  A.  Wise,  U.S.  N.  (Harry  Gringo).  Cloth,  I2mo.  with  four  illustra» 
tions  by  J.  Watson  Davis.  Price,  $1.00. 

The  re-publication  of  this  story  will  please  those  lovers  of  sea  yarn* 
who  delight  in  so  much  of  the  salty  flavor'  of  the  ocean  as  can  come  through 
the  medium  of  a  printed  page,  for  never  has  a  story  of  the  sea  and  those 
"who  go  down  in  ships"  been  written  by  one  more  familiar  with  the  scene* 
depicted. 

The  one  book  of  this  gifted  author  which  is  best  remembered,  and  which 
•will  be  read  with  pleasure  for  many  years  to  come,  is  "Captain  Brand," 
•who,  as  the  author  states  on  his  title  page,  was  a  "pirate  of  eminence  in 
the  West  Indies."  As  a  sea  story  pure  and  simple,  "Captain  Brand"  has 
never  been  excelled,,  and  as  a  story  of  piratical  life,  told  without  the  usual 
embellishments  of  blood  and  thunder,  It  has  no  equal. 

NICK  OP  THE  WOODS.  A  story  of  the  Early  Settlers  of  Kentucky.  By 
Robert  Montgomery  Bird.  Cloth,  I2mo.  with  four  illustrations  by  J.  Watson 
Davis.  Price,  $1.00. 

This  most  popular  never  and  thrilling  story  of  early  frontier  life  in 
Kentucky  was  originally  published  in  the  year  1837.  The  novel,  long  out  of 
print,  had  in  its  day  a  phenomenal  sale,  for  its  realistic  presentation  of 
Indian  and  frontier  life  in  the  early  days  of  settlement  in  the  South,  nar- 
rated in  the  tale  with  all  the  art  of  a  practiced  writer.  A  very  charming; 
love  romance  runs  through  the  story.  This  new  and  tasteful  edition  of 
."Nick  of  the  Woods"  will  be  certain  to  make  many  new  admirers  for 
this  enchanting  story  from  Dr.  Bird's  clever  and  versatile  pen. 

for  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price  by  the  pub* 
Ushers,  A.  L.  BURT  COMPANY,  52-58  Duane  St.,  New  York. 


POPULAR  LITERATURE  FOR  THE  MASSLS, 
COMPRISING  CHOICE  SELECTIONS  FROM  THE 
TREASURES  OF  THE  WORLD'S  KNOWLEDGE, 
ISSUED  iN  A  SUBSTANTIAL  AND  ATTRACTIVE 
CLOTH  BINDING,  AT  A  POPULAR  PRICE 


HURT'S  HOME  LIBRARY  is  a  scries  which 
includes  the  standard  works  of  the  world's  best  literature, 
bound  in  uniform  cloth  binding,  gilt  tops,  embracing 
chiefly  selections  from  writers  of  the  most  notable 
English,  American  and  Foreign  Fiction,  together  with 
many  important  works  in  the  domains 
of  History,  Biography,  Philosophy, 
Travel,  Poetry  and  the  Essays* 

A  glance  at  the  following  annexed 
list  of  titles  and  authors  will  endorse 
the  claim  that  the  publishers  make 
for  it — that  it  is  the  most  compre- 
hensive, choice,  interesting,  and  by 
far  the  most  carefully  selected  series 
of  standard  authors  for  world-wide 
reading  that  has  been  produced  by 
any  publishing  house  in  any  country,  and  that  at  prices 
*o  cheap,  and  in  a  style  so  substantial  and  pleasing,  as  to 
win  for  it  millions  of  readers  and  the  approval  and 
commendation,  not  only  of  the  book  trade  throughout 
the  American  continent,  but  of  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
librarians,  clergymen,  educators  and  men  of  letters 
interested  in  the  dissemination  of  instructive,  entertaining 
and  thoroughly  wholesome  reading  matter  for  the  masses. 

PAGBS] 


BUST'S  HOME  LIBRARY.    Cloth.    Gilt  Tops.    Price,  $!.< 


Abbe      Constantin.         BY      LUDOVIC 

HALEVY. 

Abbott,  BY  SIR  WALTER  SCOTT. 
Adam  Bede.  BY  GEORGE  ELIOT. 
Addison's  Essays.  EDITED  BY  JOHN 

RICHARD  GREEN. 
Aeneid    of    Virgil.     TRANSLATED    BY 

JOHN  CONNINGTON. 
Aesop's  Fables. 
Alexander,    the    Great,    Life    of.     BY 

JOHN  WILLIAMS. 
Alfred,  the  Great,  Life  of.     BY  THOMAS 

HUGHES. 

Alhambra.     BY  WASHINGTON  IRVING. 
Alice  in  Wonderland,  and  Through  the 

Looking-Glass.  BY  LEWIS  CARROLL 
Alice  Lorraine.  BY  R.  £>.  BLACKMORE 
All  Sorts  and  Conditions  of  Men.  BY 

WALTER  BESANT. 

Alton  Locke.     BY  CHARLES  KINGSLEY. 
Amiel's     Journal.     TRANSLATED      BY 

MRS.  HUMPHREY  WARD. 
Andersen's  Fairy  Tales. 
Anne  of  Geirstein.     BY  SIR  WALTER 

SCOTT. 

Antiquary.     BY  SIR  WALTER  SCOTT. 
Arabian  Nights'  Entertainments. 
Ardath.     BY   MARIE    CORELLI. 
Arnold,  Benedict,  Life  of.     BY  GEORGE 

CANNING  HILL. 
Arnold's    Poems.        BY      MATTHEW 

ARNOLD. 

Around  the  World  in  the  Yacht  Sun- 
beam.    BY  MRS.  BRASSEY. 
Arundel     Motto.     BY     MARY     CECIL 

HAY. 
At  the  Back  of  the  North  Wind.     BY 

GEORGE  MACDONALD. 
Attic  Philosopher.     BY    EMILE     Sou- 

VESTRE. 

Auld  Licht  Idylls.  BY  JAMES  M. 
BARRIE. 

Aunt  Diana.     BY  ROSA  N.  CAREY. 

Autobiography  of  Benjamin  Franklin. 

Autocrat  of  the  Breakfast  Table.  BY 
O.  W.  HOLMES. 

Averil.     BY  ROSA  N.  CAREY. 

Bacon's  Essays.     BY  FRANCIS  BACON. 

Barbara  Heathcote's  Trial.  BY  ROSA 
N.  CAREY. 

Barnaby  Rudge.  BY  CHARLES  DICK- 
ENS. 

Barrack  Room  Ballads.  BY  RUDYARD 
KIPLING. 

Betrothed.     BY  SIR  WALTER  SCOTT. 

Beulah.     BY  AUGUSTA  J.  EVANS. 

Black  Beauty,     BY  ANNA  SEWALL. 

Black  Dwarf.  BY  SIR  WALTER 
SCOTT. 

Black  Rock.     BY  RALPH  CONNOR. 

Black  Tulip.     BY  ALEXANDRE  DUMAS. 

Bleak  House.     BY  CHARLES  DICKENS. 

Blithedale  Romance.  BY  NATHANIEL 
HAWTHORNE. 

Bondman.     BY  HALL  CAINE. 

Book  of  Golden  Deeds.  BY  CHAR- 
LOTTE M.  YONGE. 

Boone,  Daniel,  Life  of.  BY  CECIL  B. 
HARTLEY, 


Bride      of      Lammermoor.     BY      SiH 

WALTER  SCOTT. 

Bride  of  the  Nile.     BY  GEORGE  EDERS. 
Browning's    Poems.     BY    ELIZABETH 

BARRETT   BROWNING. 
Browning's      Poems.       (SELECTIONS.) 

BY  ROBERT  BROWNING. 
Bryant's  Poems.  (EARLY.)     BY  WILL- 
IAM CULLEN  BRYANT. 
Burgomaster's     Wife.     BY     GEORGE 

EBERS. 

Burn's  Poems.     BY  ROBERT  BURNS. 
By  Order  of  the   King.     BY   VICTOR 

HUGO. 

Byron's  Poems.     BY  LORD  BYRON. 
Caesar,    Julius,    Life    of.     BY    JAMES 

ANTHONY  FROUDE. 
Carson,    Kit,    Life    of.     BY    CHARLES 

BURDETT. 

Gary's  Poems.     BY  ALICE  AND  PHOEBE 

GARY. 
Cast  Up  by  the  Sea.     BY  SIR  SAMUEL 

BAKER. 
Charlemagne  (Charles  the  Great),  Life 

of.     BY  THOMAS  HODGKIN,  D.  C.  L. 
Charles  Auchester.     BY  E.  BERGER. 
Character.     BY  SAMUEL  SMILES. 
Charles      O'Malley.        BY      CHARLES 

LEVER. 

Chesterfield's  Letters.     BY  LORD  CHES- 
TERFIELD. 
Chevalier      de      Maison     Rouge.     BY 

ALEXANDRE  DUMAS. 
Chicot   the   Jester.     BY    ALEXANDRB 

DUMAS. 
Children  of  the  Abbey.     BY  REGINA 

MARIA  ROCHE. 
Child's     History     of     England.     BY 

CHARLES.  DICKENS. 
Christmas     Stories.        By      CHARLES 

DICKENS. 
Cloister  and  the  Hearth.     BY  CHARLBS 

READE. 

Coleridge's  Poems.     BY  SAMUEL  TAY- 
LOR COLERIDGE. 
Columbus,   Christopher,   Life   of.     BY 

WASHINGTON  IRVING. 
Companions  of  Jehu.     BY  ALEXANDRB 

DUMAS. 
Complete   Angler.     BY  WALTON   AND 

COTTON. 
Conduct  of  Life.     BY  RALPH  WALDO 

EMERSON. 
Confessions  of  an  Opium  Eater.     BT 

THOMAS  DE  QUINCEY. 
Conquest  of  Granada.     BY  WASHING- 
TON IRVING. 

Conscript.     BY  ERCKMANN-CHATRIAN 
Conspiracy  of  Pontiac.     BY  FRANCIS 

PARKMAN,  JR. 
Conspirators.     BY    ALEXANDRE    Du. 

MAS. 

Consuelo.     BY  GEORGE  SAND. 

Cook's  Voyages.     BY  CAPTAIN  JAMBS 

COOK. 

Corinne.     BY  MADAME  DE  STAEL. 
Countess  de  Charney.     BY  ALEXANDRB 

DUMAS. 
Countess    Gisela.     BY    E.    MARLITT. 


BURT'S  HOME  LIBRARY.    Cloth.    Gilt  Tops.    Price,  $1.00 


Countess  of  Rudolstadt.  BY  GEORGE 
SAND. 

Count  Robert  of  Paris.  BY  SIR 
WALTER  SCOTT. 

Country  Doctor.  BY  HONORE  DE 
BALZAC. 

Courtship  of  Miles  Standish.  BY  H.  W. 
LONGFELLOW. 

Cousin  Maude.     BY  MARY  J.  HOLMES. 

Cranford.     BY  MRS.  GASKELL. 

Crockett,  David,  Life  of.  AN  AUTOBI- 
OGRAPHY. 

Cromwell,  Oliver,  Life  of.  BY  EDWIN 
PAXTON  HOOD. 

Crown  of  Wild  Olive.  BY  JOHN 
RUSKIN' 

Crusades.      BY  GEO.  W.  Cox,  M.  A. 

Daniel  Deronda.     BY  GEORGE  ELIOT. 

Darkness  and  Daylight.  BY  MARY  J. 
HOLMES. 

Data  of  Ethics.  BY  HERBERT  SPEN- 
CER. 

Daughter  of  an  Empress,  The.  BY 
LOUISA  MUHLBACH. 

David  Copperfield.  BY  CHARLES 
DICKENS. 

Days  of  Bruce.     BY  GRACE  AGUILAR. 

Deemster,  The.     BY  HALL  CAINE. 

Deerslayer,  The.  BY  JAMES  FENI- 
MORE  COOPER. 

Descent  of  Man.  BY  CHARLES  DAR- 
WIN. 

Discourses  of  Epictetus.  TRANSLATED 
BY  GEORGE  LONG. 

Divine  Comedy.  (DANTE.)  TRANS- 
LATED BY  REV.  H.  F.  CAREY. 

Doxnbey  &  Son.  BY  CHARLES  DICKENS. 

Donal  Grant.  •  BY  GEORGE  MACDON- 
ALD. 

Donovan.     BY  EDNA  LYALL. 

Dor*  peane.     BY  MARY  J.  HOLMES. 

Dove  in  the  Eagle's  Nest.  BY  CHAR- 
LOTTE M.  YONGE. 

Dream  Life.     BY  IK  MARVEL. 

Dr.  Jekyll  and  Mr.  Hyde.     BY  R.  L. 

STEVENSON. 

Duty.     BY  SAMUEL  SMILES. 
Early  Days  of  Christianity.     BY  F.  W. 

FARRAR. 

East  Lynne.     BY  MRS.  HENRY  WOOD. 
Edith    Lyle's    Secret.     BY    MARY    J. 

HOLMES. 

Education.     BY  HERBERT  SPENCER. 
Egoist.     BY  GEORSE  MEREDITH. 
Egyptian    Princess.     BY    GEORGE 

EBERS. 

Eight  Hundred  Leagues  on  the  Ama- 
zon.    BY  JULES  VERNE. 
Eliot's  Poems.     BY  GEORGE  ELIOT. 
Elizabeth  and  her  German  Garden. 
Elizabeth  (Queen  of  England),  Life  of. 

BY  EDWARD  SPENCER  BEESLY,  M.A. 
Elsie  Venner.     BY  OLIVER  WENDELL 

HOLMES. 
Emerson's  Essays.     (COMPLETE.)     BY 

RALPH  WALDO  EMERSON. 
Emerson's  Poems.     BY  RALPH  WALDO 

EMERSON. 

English    Orphans.      By     MARY     J. 
.     HOLMES. 


English  Traits.      BY  R.  W.  EMERSON. 
Essays     in     Criticism.     (FIRST     AND 

SECOND     SERIES.)     BY     MATTHEW 

ARNOLD. 

Essays  of  Elia.     BY  CHARLES  LAMB. 
Esther.     BY  ROSA  N.  CAREY. 
Ethelyn's     Mistake.     BY     MARY     J. 

HOLMES. 
Evangeline.     (WITH   NOTES.)     BY   H. 

W.  LONGFELLOW. 
Evelina.     BY  FRANCES  BURNEY. 
Fair  Maid  of  Perth.     BY  SIR  WALTER 

SCOTT. 
Fairy  Land  of  Science.     BY  ARABELLA 

B.  BUCKLEY. 
Faust.     (GOETHE.)     TRANSLATED    BY 

ANNA  SWANWICK. 
Felix  Holt.     BY  GEORGE  ELIOT. 
Fifteen  Decisive  Battles  of  the  World. 

BY  E.  S.  CREASY. 

File  No.  113.     BY  EMILE  GABORIAU. 
Firm  of  Girdlestone.     BY  A.   CONAK 

DOYLE. 

First  Principles.  BY  HERBERT  SPENCER. 
First  Violin.     BY  JESSIE  FOTHERGILL. 
For  Lilias.     By  ROSA  N.  CAREY. 
Fortunes  of  Nigel.     BY  SIR  WALTER 

SCOTT. 
Forty-Five  Guardsmen.     BY  ALEXAN- 

DRE  DUMAS. 

Foul  Play.     BY  CHARLES  READE. 
Fragments     of     Science.     BY     JOHW 

TYNDALL. 
Frederick,    the    Great,    Life    of.     BY 

FRANCIS  KUGLER. 
Frederick  the  Great  and  His  Court.     BY 

LOUISA  MUHLBACH. 
French  Revolution.     BY  THOMAS  CAR. 

LYLE. 

From   the   Earth   to   the   Moon.     BY 

JULES  VERNE. 
Garibaldi,  General,  Life  of.     BY  THEO« 

DORE    DWIGHT. 

Gil  Bias,  Adventures  of.     BY  A.  R.  LB 

SAGE. 
Gold     Bug     and     Other    Tales.     BY 

EDGAR  A.  POE. 
Gold  Elsie.     BY  E.  MARLITT. 
Golden    Treasury.     BY    FRANCIS    T. 

PALGRAVE. 
Goldsmith's      Poems.       BY      OLIVER 

GOLDSMITH. 
Grandfather's  Chair.     BY  NATHANIEL 

HAWTHORNE. 
Grant,  Ulysses  S.,  Life  of.     BY  J.  T. 

HEADLEY. 

Gray's  Poems.     BY  THOMAS  GRAY. 
Great      Expectations.     BY      CHARLES 

DICKENS. 
Greek   Heroes.     Fairy   Tales   for   Mf 

Children.     BY  CHARLES  KINGSLEY.. 
Green  Mountain  Boys,  The.     BY  D.  P. 

THOMPSON. 
Grimm's   Household   Tales.     BY   THB 

BROTHERS  GRIMM. 
Grimm's     Popular     Tales.     BY     THB 

BROTHERS  GRIMM. 

Gulliver's  Travels.    BY  DEAN  SWIKT. 
Guy    Mannering.    BY    SIR    WAITER 

SCOTT, 


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Hale.  Nathan,  the  Martyr  Spy.  BY 
CHARLOTTE  MOLYNEUX  HOLLOWAY. 

Bandy  Andy.     BY  SAMUEL  LOVER. 

Hans  of  Iceland.     BY  VICTOR  Huso. 

Hannibal,  the  Carthaginian,  Life  of. 
BY  THOMAS  ARNOLD,  M.  A. 

Hardy  Norseman,  A.    BY  EDNA  LYALL. 

Harold.     BY  BULWBR-LYTTON. 

Harry  Lorrequer.    BY  CHARLES  LEVER. 

Heart  of  Midlothian.  BY  SIR  WALTER 
SCOTT. 

Heir  of  Redclyffe.  BY  CHARLETTB  M. 
YONGE. 

Hemans'  Poems.  BY  MRS.  FELICIA 
HEMANS. 

Henry  Esmond.  BY  WM.  M.  THACK- 
ERAY. 

Henry,  Patrick,  Life  of.     BY  WILLIAM 

WlRT. 

Her  Dearest  Foe.  BY  MRS.  ALEXAN- 
DER. 

Hereward.     BY  CHARLES  KINGSLEY. 
Heriot's  Choice.     BY  ROSA  N.  CAREY. 
Heroes     and      Hero-Worship.        BY 

THOMAS  CARLYLE. 
Hiawatha.     (WITH  NOTES.)     BY  H.  W. 

LONGFELLOW. 
Hidden  Hand,  The.    (COMPLETE.)  BY 

MRS.  E.  D.  E.  N.  SOUTHWORTH. 
History    of    a    Crime.       BY    VICTOR 

HUGO. 
History  of  Civilization  in  Europe.     BY 

M.  GUIZOT. 
Holmes'  Poems.  (  EARLY)  BY  OLIVER 

WENDELL  HOLMES. 
Holy    Roman     Empire.     BY    JAMBS 

BRYCE. 
Homestead  on  the  Hillside.     BY  MARY 

J.  HOLMES. 

Hood's  Poems.     BY  THOMAS  HOOD. 
House     of    the    Seven    Gables.     BY 

NATHANIEL  HAWTHORNE. 
Hunchback     of     Notre     Dame.     BY 

VICTOR  HUGO. 

Hypatia.     BY  CHARLES  KINGSLEY. 
Hyperion.     BY    HENRY    WADSWORTH 

LONGFELLOW. 

Iceland  Fisherman,     BY  PIERRE  LOTI. 
Idle  Thoughts  of  an  Idle  Fellow.     BY 

JEROME  K.  JEROME. 
Iliad,     POPE'S  TRANSLATION. 
Inez.     BY  AUGUSTA  J.  EVANS. 
Ingelow's  Poems.     BY  JEAN  INGELOW. 
Initials.     BY   THB    BARONESS    TAUT- 

PHOEUS. 
Intellectual     Life.     BY      PHILIP     G. 

HAMBRTON. 
In   the    Counsellor's   House.     BY    E. 

MARLITT. 
In    the     Golden    Days.    BY     EDNA 

LYALL. 
In    the    Heart    of    the    Storm.     BY 

MAXWELL  GRAY. 

In  the  Schillingscourt.     BY  E.  MAR- 
LITT. 
IshmaeL     (COMPLETE.)     BY  MRS.   E. 

D.  E.  N.  SOUTHWORTH. 
It  Is  Never  Too  Late  to  Mend.     BY 

CHARLES  READS. 


Ivanhoe.     BY  SIR  WALTER  SCOTT. 
Jane  Eyre.     BY  CHARLOTTE  BRONTE. 
Jefferson,      Thomas,      Life      of.     BY 

SAMUEL  M.  SCHMUCKER,  LL.D. 
Joan    of    Arc,    Life    of.     BY    JULES 

MlCHELET. 

John  Halifax,  Gentleman.     BY  Miss 

MULOCK. 
Jones,  John  Paul,  Life  of.     BY  JAMES 

OTIS. 
Joseph     Balsamo.     BY     ALEXANDRB 

DUMAS. 
Josephine,  Empress  of  France,  Life  of. 

BY  FREDERICK  A.  OBER. 
Keats'  Poems.     BY  JOHN  KEATS. 
Kenilworth.     BY  SIR  WALTER  SCOTT. 
Kidnapped.     BY  R.  L.  STEVENSON. 
King  Arthur  and  His  Noble  Knights. 

BY  MARY  MACLEOD. 
Knickerbocker's  History  of  New  York. 

BY  WASHINGTON  IRVING. 
Knight  Errant.     BY  EDNA  LYALL. 
Koran.    TRANSLATED      BY      GEORGE 

SALE. 
Lady  of  the  Lake.     (WITH  NOTES.)     BY 

SIR  WALTER  SCOTT. 
Lady  with  the  Rubies.     BY  E.  MA.H- 

LITT. 

Lafayette,  Marquis  de.    Life   of.     BY 

P.  C.  HBADLEY. 
Lalla     Rookh.     (WITH     NOTES.)     BY 

THOMAS  MOORE. 

Lamplighter.     BY     MARIA     S.    CUM- 
MINS. 
Last  Days  of  Pompeii.     BY  BULWER* 

LYTTON. 

Last   of   the   Barons.    BY   BULWBR- 
LYTTON. 
Last    of    the    Mohicans.     BY    JAMES 

FENIMORE  COOPER. 
Lay    of    the    Last    Minstrel.     (WITH 

NOTES.)     BY  SIR  WALTER  SCOTT. 
Lee,  General  Robert  E.,  Life  of.     BY 

G.  MERCER  ADAM. 
Lena  Rivers.     BY  MARY  J.  HOLMES. 
Life   of    Christ.     BY    FREDERICK   W. 

FARRAR. 

Life  of  Jesus.    BY  ERNEST  RBNAN. 
Light     of     Asia.    BY     SIR     EDWIN 

ARNOLD. 
Light    That    Failed.     BY     RUDYARD 

KIPLING. 
Lincoln,      Abraham,      Life      of.     BY 

HENRY  KBTCHAM. 
Lincoln's   Speeches.     SELECTED    AND 

EDITED  BY  G.  MERCER  ADAM. 
Literature  and  Dogma.     BY  MATTHEW 

ARNOLD. 

Little  Dorrit.  BY  CHARLES  DICKENS. 
Little  Minister.  BY  JAMES  M.  BARRIE. 
Livingstone,  David,  Life  of.  BY 

THOMAS  HUGHES. 
Longfellow's  Poems.      (EARLY.)     BY 

HENRY  W.  LONGFELLOW. 
Lorna  Doone.     BY  R.  D.  BLACKMORB. 
Louise  de  la  Valliere.    BY  ALBXANDRB 

DUMAS. 
Love  Me  Little,  Love  Me  Long.    Bt 

CHARLES  READS. 


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Lowell's  Poems.     (EARLY.)  BY  JAMES 

RUSSELL  LOWELL. 
Lucile.     BY  OWEN  MEREDITH. 
Macaria.     BY  AUGUSTA  J.  EVANS. 
Macaulay's  Literary  Essays.     BY  T.  B. 

MACAULAY. 
Macaulay's  Poems.     BY  THOMAS  BAB- 

INGTON  MACAULAY. 
Madame     Therese.     BY     ERCKMANN- 

CHATRIAN. 

Maggie  Miller.  BY  MARY  J.  HOLMES. 
Magic  Skin.  BY  HONORS  DE  BALZAC. 
Manomet,  Life  of.  BY  WASHINGTON 

IRVING. 
Makers    of   Florence.     BY  MRS.  OLI- 

PHANT. 
Makers    of    Venice.     BY    MRS.    On- 

PHANT. 

Man  and  Wife.     BY  WILKIE  COLLINS. 

Man  in  the  Iron  Mask.  BY  ALEXAN- 
DRB  DUMAS. 

Marble  Faun.  BY  NATHANIEL  HAW- 
THORNE. 

Marguerite  de  la  Valois.  BY  ALEX- 
ANDRE  DUMAS. 

Marian  Grey.     BY  MARY  J.  HOLMES. 

Marius,  The  Epicurian.     BY  WALTER 

Marmion.     (WITH    NOTES.)     BY    SIR 

WALTER  SCOTT. 
Marquis     of     Lossie.     BY     GEORGE 

MACDONALD. 
Martin     Chuzzlewit.       BY     CHARLES 

DICKENS. 
Mary,   Queen  of  Scots,   Life  of.     BY 

P.  C.  HEADLEY. 

Mary  St.  John.  BY  ROSA  N.  CAREY. 
Master  of  Ballantrae,  The.  BY.  R.  L. 

STEVENSON. 
Mastennan  Ready.     BY  CAPTAIN  MAR- 

RYATT. 

Meadow  Brook.  BY  MARY  J.  HOLMES. 
Meditations  of  Marous  Aurelius. 

TRANSLATED  BY  GEORGE  LONG. 
Memoirs  of  a  Physician.     BY  ALEXAN- 

DRE  DUMAS. 

Merle's  Crusade.     BY  ROSA  N.  CAREY. 
Micah  Clarke.     BY  A.  CONAN  DOLYE. 
Michael  Strogoff.     BY  JULES  VERNE. 
Middlemarch.     BY  GEORGE   ELIOT. 
Midshipman  Easy.     BY  CAPTAIN  MAR- 

RYATT 

Mildred.     BY  MARY  J.  HOLMES. 
Millbank.     BY  MARY  J.  HOLMES. 
Mill  on  the  Floss.     BY  GEORGE  ELIOT. 
Milton's  Poems.     BY  JOHN  MILTON. 
Mine  Own  People.     ByRuDYARoKip- 

LING. 
Minister's  Wooing,  The.     BY  HARRIET 

BEECHER  STOWE. 

Monastery.     BY  SIR  WALTER  SCOTT. 
Moonstone.     BY   WILKIE   COLLINS. 
Moore's  Poems.     BY  THOMAS   MOORE 
Mosses    from    an     Old     Manse.     BY 

NATHANIEL  HAWTHORNE. 
Murders    in    the    Rue    Morgue.     BY 

EDGAR  ALLEN  POE. 
Mysterious  Island.     BY  JULES  VERNE. 
Napoleon  Bonaparte,  Life  of.     BY  P. 
C.  HEADLEY. 


Napoleon  and   His   Marshals.     BY  J. 

T.  HEADLEY. 
Natural  Law  in  the  Spiritual  World. 

BY  HENRY  DRUMMOND. 
Narrative  of  Arthur  Gordon  Pym.     BY 

EDGAR  ALLAN  POE. 
Nature,  Addresses  and  Lectures.     BY 

R.  W.  EMERSON. 
Nellie's     Memories.     BY     ROSA      N. 

CAREY. 
Nelson,  Admiral  Horatio,  Life  of.     Bv 

ROBERT  SOUTHEY. 
Newcomes.     BY  WILLIAM  M.  THACK 

ERAY. 

Nicholas  Nickleby.  BY  CHAS.  DICK- 
ENS. 

Ninety-Three.     BY  VICTOR  HUGO. 
Not  Like  Other  Girls.     BY   ROSA   N. 

CAREY. 

Odyssey.     P_OPE'S  TRANSLATION. 
Old    Curiosity    Shop.     BY     CHARLES 

DICKENS. 
Old  Mam'selle's  Secret.     BY  E.  MAR- 

LITT. 

Old     Mortality.     BY     SIR     WALTER 

SCOTT. 
Old    Myddleton's   Money.     BY    MARY 

CECIL  HAY. 

Oliver  Twist.     BY  CHAS.  DICKENS. 
Only   the    Governess.     BY    ROSA    N. 

CAREY. 
On     the     Heights.     BY      BERTHOLD 

AUERBACH. 

Oregon  Trail.  BY  FRANCIS  PARK- 
MAN. 

Origin  of  Species.  BY  CHARLES 
DARWIN. 

Other  Worlds  than  Ours.  BY  RICH. 
ARD  PROCTOR. 

Our  Bessie.     BY  ROSA  N.  CAREY. 

Our  Mutual  Friend.  BY  CHARLES 
DICKENS. 

Outre-Mer.     BY  H.  W.  LONGFELLOW. 

Owl's  Nest.     BY  E.  MARHTT. 

Page  of  the  Duke  of  Savoy.  BY 
ALEXANDRE  DUMAS. 

Pair  of  Blue  Eyes.  BY  THOMAS 
HARDY. 

Pan    Michael      BY    HENRYK    SIEN- 

KIEWICZ. 

Past   and   Present.     BY    THOS.    CAR« 

LYLE. 

Pathfinder.  BY  JAMES  FENIMORB 
COOPER. 

Paul  and  Virginia.  BY  B.  DE  ST. 
PIERRE. 

Pendennis.  History  or.  BY  WM.  M. 
THACKERAY. 

Penn,  William,  Life  of.  BY  W.  HEP- 
WORTH  DlXON. 

Pere  Goriot.     BY  HONORE  DE  BALZAC. 
Peter,  the  Great,  Life  of.     BY  JOHN 

BARROW. 
Peveril  of  the  Peak.     BY  SIR  WALTER 

SCOTT. 
Phantom  Rickshaw,   The.     BY  RUD- 

YARD  KIPLING. 
Philip  II.  of  Spain,  Life  of.     BY  MAR« 

TIN  A.  S.  HUME. 
Picciola.    BY  X.  B.  SAINTINB. 


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Pickwick  Papers.     BY  CHARLES  DICK- 
ENS. 

Pilgrim's  Progress.    BY  JOHN  BUNYAN. 
Pillar  of  Fire.     BY  REV.  J.  H.  INGRA- 

HAM. 

Pilot.     BY  JAMES  FENIMORE  COOPER. 
Pioneers.       BY      JAMES      FENIMORE 

COOPER. 

Pirate.     BY  SIR  WALTER  SCOTT. 
Plain  Tales  from  the  Hills.     BY  RUD- 

YARD  KIPLING. 
Plato's  Dialogues.    TRANSLATED  BY  J. 

WRIGHT,  M.  A. 
Pleasures    of    Life.     BY    SIR    JOHN 

LUBBOCK. 

Poe's  Poems.     BY  EDGAR  A.  POE. 
Pope  s  Poems.     BY  ALEXANDER  POPE. 
Prairie.     BY  JA_MES  F.  COOPER. 
Pride   and  Prejudice.     BY  JANE  AUS- 
TEN. 
Prince  of  the  House   of  David.     BY 

REV.  J.  H.  INGRAHAM. 
Princess  of  the  Moor.     BY  E.  MARLITT. 
Princess     of     Thule.     BY     WILLIAM 

BLACK. 

Procter's  Poems.     BY  ADELAIDE  PROC- 
TOR. 
Professor  at  the  Breakfast  Table.     BY 

OLIVER  WENDELL  HOLMES. 
Professor.     BY    CHARLOTTE    BRONTE. 
Prue   and   I.     BY   GEORGE   WILLIAM 

CURTIS. 
Put  Yourself  in  His  Place.     BY  CHAS. 

READE. 
Putnam,  General  Israel,  Life  of    BY 

GEORGE  CANNING  HILL. 
Queen  Hortense.     BY  LOUISA  MUHL- 

BACH. 

Queenie's  Whim.     BY  ROSA  N.  CAREY. 
Queen's    Necklace.     BY    ALEXANDRE 

DUMAS. 
Quentin  Durward.     BY  SIR  WALTER 

SCOTT. 
Rasselas,     History    of.     BY     SAMUEL 

JOHNSON. 

Redgauntlet.     BY  SIR  WALTER  SCOTT. 
Red    Rover.     BY    JAMES    FENIMORE 

COOPER. 
Regent's  Daughter.     BY  ALEXANDRE 

DUMAS. 

Reign  of  Law.     BY  DUKE  OP  ARGYLE. 
Representative      Men.       BY      RALPH 

WALDO  EMERSON. 
Republic   of  Plato.     TRANSLATED   BY 

DAVIES  AND  VAUGHAN. 
Return   of  the   Native.     BY  THOMAS 

HARDY. 

Reveries  of  a  Bachelor.     BY  IK  MAR- 
VEL. 
Reynard  the  Fox.     EDITED  BY  JOSEPH 

JACOBS. 

Rienzi.     BY  BULWER-LYTTON. 
Richelieu,      Cardinal,     Life     of.     BY 

RICHARD  LODGE. 

Robinson  Crusoe.     BY  DANIEL  DEFOE. 
Rob  Roy.     BY  SIR  WALTER  SCOTT. 
Romance  of  Natural  History.     BY  P. 

H.  GOSSE. 
Romance  of  Two  Worlds.     BY  MARIE 

CORELLI  , 


Romola.     BY  GEORGE  ELIOT. 
Rory  O'More.     BY   SAMUEL  LOVER. 
Rose  Mather.     BY  MARY  J.  HOLMES. 
Rossetti's  Poems.     BY  GABRIEL  DANTB 

ROSSETT,!. 

Royal     Edinburgh.     BY     MRS.     OLI- 

PHANT. 

Rutledge.     BY  MIRIAN  COLES  HARRIS, 
Saint  Michael.     BY  E.  WERNER. 
Saraantha    at    Saratoga.     BY    JOSIAH 

ALLER'S    WIFE.     (MARIETTA    HOL- 

LEY.) 
Sartor    Resartus.     BY    THOMAS    CAR- 

LYLE. 

Scarlet  Letter.     BY  NATHANIEL  HAW- 

HORNE. 

Schonberg-Cotta    Family.     BY     MRS. 

ANDREW  CHARLES. 
Schopenhauer's  Essays.     TRANSLATED 

BY  T.  B.  SAUNDERS. 
Scottish  Chiefs.     BY  JANE  PORTER. 
Scott's     Poems.     BY     SIR     WALTER 

SCOTT. 
Search  for  Basil  Lyndhurst.  By 

ROSA  N.  CAREY. 
Second  Wife.     BY  E.  MARLITT. 
Seekers  After  God.     BY  F.  W.  FARRAR. 
Self-Help.     BY  SAMUEL  SMILES. 
Self-Raised.     (COMPLETE.)     BY    MRS. 

E.  D.  E.  N.  SOUTHWORTH. 
Seneca's  Morals. 
Sense     and     Sensibility.     BY     JANE 

AUSTEN. 
Sentimental  Journey.     BY  LAWRENCB 

STERNE. 

Sesame  and  Lilies.     BY  JOHN  RUSKIN. 
Shakespeare's    Heroines.     By    ANNA 

JAMESON. 
Shelley's  Poems.     BY  PERCY  BYSSHB 

SHELLEY. 

Shirley.     BY  CHARLOTTE  BRONTE. 
Sign    of    the    Four.     BY    A.  CONAN 

DOYLE. 

Silas  Marner.     BY  GEORGE  ELIOT. 
Silence  of  Dean  Maitland.     BY  MAX» 

WELL  GRAY. 

Sir  Gibbie.     BY  GEORGE  MACDONALD 
Sketch  Book.     BY  WASHINGTON  IRV 

ING. 

Smith,  Captain  John,  Life  of.  BY  W. 
GILMORE  SIMMS. 

Socrates,  Trial  and  Death  of.  TRANS- 
LATED BY  F.  J.  CHURCH,  M.  A. 

Soldiers  Three.  BY  RUDYARD  KIP- 
LING. 

Springhaven.     BY  R.  D.  BLACKMOKE. 

Spy.     BY   JAMES   FENIMORE  COOPKR. 

Stanley,  Henry  M.,  African  Explorer, 
Life  of.  BY  A.  MONTEFIORB. 

Story  of  an  African  Farm.     BY  OLIVB 

SCHREINER. 

Story  of  John  G.  Paton.     TOLD  FOR 

YOUNG     FOLKS.     BY     REV.     JAS. 

PATON. 
St.  Ronan's  Well.  BY  SIR  WALTER 

SCOTT. 
Study  in  Scarlet.  BY  A.  CONAH 

DOYLB. 


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Surgeon's  Daughter.     BY  SIR  WALTER 

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Swinburne's  Poems.     BY  A.  C.  SWIN- 
BURNE. 
Swiss    Family    Robinson.     BY    JEAN 

RUDOLPH  WYSS. 
Taking  the  Bastile.     BY  ALEXANDRB 

DUMAS. 
Tale     of     Two     Cities.     BY     CHAS. 

DICKENS. 
Tales   from   Shakespeare.     BY    CHAS. 

AND  MARY  LAMB. 
Tales  of  a  Traveller.     BY  WASHINGTON 

IRVING. 

Talisman.     BY  SIR  WALTER  SCOTT. 
Tanglewood    Tales.     BY    NATHANIEL 

HAWTHORNE. 
Tempest  and  Sunshine.     BY  MARY  J. 

HOLMES. 
Ten  Nights  in  a  Bar  Room.     BY  T.  S. 

ARTHUR. 

Tennyson's  Poems.     BY  ALFRED  TEN- 
NYSON. 
Ten    Years    Later.     BY    ALEXANDER 

DUMAS. 
Terrible     Temptation.     BY     CHARLES 

READS. 
Thaddeus     of     Warsaw.     BY     JANB 

PORTER. 

Thelma.     BY  MARIE  CORELLI. 
Thirty  Years'   War.     BY   FREDERICK 

SCHILLER. 
Thousand    Miles    Up    the    Nile.     BY 

AMELIA  B.  EDWARDS. 
Three    Guardsmen.     BY    ALEXANDRE 

DUMAS. 
Three  Men  in  a  Boat.     BY  JEROME  K. 

JEROME. 

Thrift.     BY  SAMUEL  SMILES. 
Throne    of   David.     BY    REV.    J.    H. 

INGRAHAM. 

Toilers  of  the  Sea.     BY  VICTOR  HUGO 
Tom  Brown  at  Oxford.     BY  THOMAS 

HUGHES. 
Tom     Brown's     School     Days.     BY 

THOS.  HUGHES. 
Tom  Burke  of  "Ours."     BY  CHARLES 

LEVER. 
Tour  of  the  World  in  Eighty  Days. 

BY  JULES  VERNE. 
freasure  Island.     BY  ROBERT  Louis 

STEVENSON. 
twenty  Thousand  Leagues  Under  the 

Sea.     BY  JULES  VERNE. 
Iwenty  Years  After.     BY  ALBXANDRB 

DUMAS. 
Twice    Told    Tales.     BY    NATHANIEL 

HAWTHORNE. 
Two  Admirals.     BY  JAMBS  PBNIMORB 

COOPER. 

Two  Dianas.     BY  ALEXANDRE  DUMAS. 
Two  Years  Before  the  Mast.     BY  R.  H. 

DANA,  Jr. 

Uarda.     BY  GBORGB  EBERS. 
Uncle  Max.     BY  ROSA  N.  CAREY. 
Uncle    Tom's    Cabin.     BY    HARRIET 

BBBCHBR  STOWB. 
Under  Two  Flags.    BY  "OuiDA." 


Utopia.     BY  SIR  THOMAS  MORE. 
Vanity  Fair.     BY  WM.  M  THACKERAY. 
Vendetta.     BY  MARIE  CORELLI. 
Vespucius,  Americus,  Life  and  Voyages. 

BY  C.  EDWARDS  LESTER. 
Vicar     of     Wakefield.     BY     OLIVER 

GOLDSMITH. 
Vicomte   de    Bragelonne.     BY   ALEX- 

ANDRE  DUMAS. 

Views  A-Foot.     BY  BAYARD  TAYLOR, 
Villette.     BY  CHARLOTTE  BRONTE. 
Virginians.     BY  WM.  M.  THACKERAY. 
Walden.     BY  HENRY  D.  THOREAU. 
Washington,     George,     Life     of.     BY 

JARED  SPARKS. 
Washington  and  His  Generals.     BY  J. 

T.  HEADLEY. 
Water  Babies.     BY  CHARLES  KINGS- 

Water  Witch.  BY  JAMES  FENI. 
MORE  COOPER. 

Waverly.     BY  SIR  WALTER  SCOTT. 

Webster,  Daniel,  Life  of.  BY  SAMUEL 
M.  SCHMUCKER,  LL.D. 

Webster's  Speeches.  (SELECTED.) 
BY  DANIEL  WEBSTER. 

Wee  Wifie.     BY  ROSA  N.  CAREY. 

Westward  Hoi  BY  CHARLES  KINGS- 
LEY. 

We  Two.     BY  EDNA  LYALL. 

What's  Mine's  Mine.  BY  GBORGB 
MACDONALD. 

When  a  Man's  Single.  BY  J.  M. 
BARRIE. 

White  Company.  BY  A.  CONAN 
DOYLE. 

Whites  and  the  Blues.  BY  ALEX- 
ANDRE  DUMAS. 

Whittier's  Poems.  (EARLY.)  BY  JOHX 
G.  WHITTIER. 

Wide,  Wide  World.     BY  SUSAN  WAR- 

NBR. 

William,  the  Conqueror,  Life  of.     BY 

EDWARD  A.  FREEMAN,  LL.D. 
William,    the    Silent,     Life    of.     BY 

FREDERICK  HARRISON. 
Willy  Reilly.         BY  WILLIAM  CARLE- 

TON. 

Window  in  Thrums.     BY  J.  M.  BARRIB 
Wing   and   Wing.     BY   JAMBS   FENI- 

MORE  COOPER. 
Wolsey,  Cardinal,  Life  of.     BY  MAN. 

DELL  CREIGHTON. 
Woman  in  White.     BY  WILKIE  COL. 

LINS. 

Won  by  Waiting.     BY  EDNA  LYALL. 
Wonder    Book.         FOR     BOYS     AND 

GIRLS.       BY      NATHANIEL      HAW- 
THORNE. 

Woodstock.     BY  SIR  WALTER  SCOTT. 
Wooed    and   Married.     BY    ROSA    N. 

CAREY. 

Wooing  O't     BY  MRS.  ALEXANDER. 
Wordsworth's    Poems.     BY    WILLIAM 

WORDSWORTH. 

Wormwood.     BY  MARIE  CORELLI. 
Wreck    of    the    Grosvenor.    By   W. 

CLARK  RUSSELL. 


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